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Had enough winter? Well the flowers are on their way.
This month we open Project Mah Jongg, the exhibit that answers the question “how did a game for Chinese men become a pastime for Jewish women?” Look for details on making plans to visit and play below.
Upcoming Programs
Please note that unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Jewish Museum of Maryland (15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, MD 21202). For more information and to RSVP for specific programs, contact Trillion Attwood: (410) 732-6400 x215 / tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org. For more information on JMM events please visit www.jewishmuseummd.org.
March 2014
Front Stoops in the Fifties: Legends Come of Age with author Michael Olesker
Sunday, March 9, 1:00pm
Program free with Museum admission
Author and journalist, Michael Olesker shares his perspectives on Baltimore in the 1950s, an era he believes ended on Nov. 22, 1963, with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The talk will focus on Baltimore’s Jewish community, and those whose lives touched the entire country – including Barry Levinson, Kenny Waissman, Jerry Leiber, and attorney Leonard Kerpelman who took Madalyn Murray’s crusade against prayer in public schools all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Front Stoops in the Fifties is Olesker’s sixth book, following a 40-year career in journalism in which he wrote award-winning columns for the Baltimore Sun and delivered nightly commentaries for WJZ’s Eyewitness News. Among Olesker’s other books is Leap Into Darkness: Seven Years on the Run in Wartime Europe, a Holocaust memoir written with survivor Leo Bretholz. That book has now been published in numerous countries around the world.
Following the talk, copies of the book will be available for purchasing and signing.
Purim Pandemonium: Art Comes Alive
Saturday, March 15, 9:00pm – 1:00am
Admission $15 for members, $20 for non-members
Join us for this costume party like no other! The sky is the limit for creativity with this year’s theme. Become a Pollock or a Warhol, be Dali, Kahlo or Van Gogh (though please, no missing ears)!
Once you’ve started getting creative you won’t be able to stop – so help us fill out empty canvasses at the museum! You will be surrounded by inspiration and by the end of the night we’ll have created an art show no one will forget!
Guests 21+ (I.D. required). Enjoy dancing to DJ Matt Statler, open bar (essential for any struggling artist?), refreshments. Tickets can be purchased online: jewishmuseummd.org.
Late Night on Lloyd Street: Game On!
Thursday March 27th, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Free Admission
Joins us for a night of game playing. Get ready for our new exhibit and learn how to play Mah Jongg or pick from a selection of other games, including Sid Sackson’s No Game. As with all Late Night on Lloyd Streets there will be plenty of snacks and drinks.
Late Night on Lloyd Street programs are FREE thanks to generous support from the Grandchildren of Harvey M. and Lyn P. Meyerhoff Philanthropic Fund
Project Mah Jongg Grand Opening
Sunday, March 30
11:00am-12:00pm: Exclusive Members opening with light breakfast
12:00pm: Exhibition opens to the public
12:30pm: Mah Jongg Mania: American Beginnings, talk by exhibition curator (and former JMM Curator), Melissa Martens Yaverbaum
Opening is Free for Members
Join us for the Grand Opening of our latest exhibit Project Mah Jongg, developed by the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York. Curator Melissa Martens Yaverbaum will trace the evolution of the mysterious Chinese game that became an American sensation in the 1920s and today remains a beloved institution in Jewish communal, personal, and cultural life.
Tables are available for visitors to play mah jongg and staff will be on hand to explain the rules for any novices (please note that table space is limited).
During the run of Project Mah Jongg, visitors interested in playing can reserve up to five tables in advance at no additional charge by contacting Abby Krolik, JMM’s Visitor Services Coordinator, at (410) 732-6044 ext. 235 or akrolik@jewishmuseummd.org. Reservations are for two hour periods during regular museum hours Sunday to Thursday 10am to 5pm. Space is limited so hurray up, gather your group, and make that reservation now!
Deadly Medicine, Creating The Master Race
A United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Traveling Exhibit
Teacher Training Workshop
Wednesday, April 2, 10:00am-12:00pm
There is no charge to attend
For more information and to register, contact Phyllis Gwynn at pgwynn@baltjc.org or (410) 542-4850
Exhibit tour and presentation by USHMM curator, Susan Bachrach, Ph.D.
This program takes place at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland, 601 Lombard Street, Baltimore.
Program co-sponsored by Baltimore Jewish Council , the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Health Sciences and Human Services Library of the University of Maryland.
More Programs
The JMM is pleased to share our campus with B’nai Israel Congregation. For additional information about B’nai Israel events and services for Shabbat, please visit bnaiisraelcongregation.org. For more of this month’s events from BIYA, please visit biyabaltimore.org or check out BIYA on facebook. www.facebook.com/groups/biyabaltimore
Purim Puppet Show and Megillah Reading
Saturday, March 15 (https://www.facebook.com/events/700303633323654/)
7:00pm PUPPET SHOW – featuring all of your favorite Purim characters!
8:00pm MAARIV & MEGILLAH READING – megillah reading with child-friendly video accompaniment and a special guest appearance by Elmo!
Annual Purim Parade and Seuda at Max’s
Sunday, March 16 (https://www.facebook.com/events/700303633323654/)
Join us following morning services and megillah reading (8:30am) for our Annual Purim Parade starting at B’nai Israel and ending at Max’s Taphouse in Fells Point!
Our Purim Parade will feature the Charm City Pedal Mill, rollerblading dancers, & floats from AVAM’s kinetic sculpture race! Come by foot or with your favorite bicycle, scooter, roller blades, or Segway! Costumes encouraged.
Festive meal & Purim party will follow at Max’s Taphouse, 737 S Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231. $15/person. RSVP here: http://tinyurl.com/BnaiPurimSeuda2014
Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland Meeting
Sunday, March 23 at 1:00pm
The next meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland will be held on March 23 from 1:00-3:00pm in the chapel of Ner Tamid Synagogue (6214 Pimlico Rd, Baltimore). Ellen Cassedy, author of We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust, will present “Calling All Readers: A Literary Trove for Jewish Genealogists.” Program is free for JGSMD members and $5 for non-members.
Coming Soon:
Lessons Learned, Lessons Shared
Yom Ha’Shoah Baltimore Jewish Council 2014 Holocaust Commemoration
Sunday, April 27, 5:00pm
Beth Tfiloh Congregation (Rosen Art Center), 3300 Old Court Road
Featuring Key Note Speaker, Menachem Rosensaft
For more information, contact 410-542-4850 or rsvp to bjcrsvp@baltjc.org
Exhibits
Exhibits currently on display at the JMM include Voices of Lombard Street: A Century of Change in East Baltimore, The Synagogue Speaks!
Project Mah Jongg opens on Sunday, March 30 (see details above) and will be on view through June 29.
Jews on the Move: Baltimore and the Suburban Exodus, 1945 – 1968 travels to Beth Israel Synagogue (3706 Crondall Lane, Owings Mills) where it will be on display March 31-April 11.
Hours and Tour Times
The JMM is open Sunday-Thursday, 10am – 5pm. We offer tours of our historic synagogues each day at 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00.
Get Involved
The JMM is looking for volunteers to help staff our front desk, work in the gift shop, and lead tours as docents. No prior knowledge or training is required. All that is needed is an interest in learning about the JMM, our historic sites, exhibits, and programs and a desire to share this knowledge with the public. All volunteers are provided with thorough training. If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer program, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Ilene Cohen at 410.732.6400 x217 or icohen@jewishmuseummd.org.
Membership
Revamped and revitalized, membership at the JMM is now better than ever – with new categories, benefits, and discounts to enrich every visit to the Museum for you and your friends and families.
All members receive our monthly e-newsletter, along with a 10% discount at the Museum store, free general admission to the Museum, free admission to all regular programs, attendance at exclusive member opening events and discounted weekday parking at the City-owned garage at 1001 E. Fayette Street. Your membership provides much needed funding for the many programs that we offer and we hope we can count on you for your continued support. Memberships can be purchase online! http://jewishmuseummd.org/get-involved/museum-membership/ For more information about our membership program, please contact Sue Foard at (410) 732-6400 x220 or sfoard@jewishmuseummd.org.
Gift Shop
The JMM is very pleased to represent Haim Amir with a few of his magnificent fused and fired glass artworks, some of which are shown here. In addition to his fused glass art pieces, Amir is a world-renowned sculptor, working with stone, marble and granite of different colors. He was recently commissioned by Temple Isaiah in Columbia to create a large menorah for their new building which received much critical acclaim. Professor Natan Zach, Curator at the Open Museum in Tefen, Israel, says this about Amir, “Haim Amir’s uniqueness as a sculptor consists not only in his remarkable mastery of his materials, a mastery which does not betray any signs of effort; rather, it resides in the sense of an unusual dialogue taking place here between man and stone.”
Home Blessing – Fused Glass
Haim Amir uses vibrant colors of deep red, gold and orange, fused together on white glass, to create this warm and welcoming piece.
Price: $160 Member price $144
Crossing the Red Sea – Fused Glass
In this powerful fused glass artwork, the waters of the Red Sea part, both the Hebrew and English of the text are fused into the glass.
Price: $160 Member price $144
Blessing for the Home – Fused Glass
Amir fired and fused homes onto the glass, with an overlay of colorful roofs. He uses “brick” pavers from clay brought from Israel to create the pathways from each of the homes. Amir works with Israeli clay to fashion the miniature pots adding another dimension to his work. The blessing for the home, both in English and Hebrew, define the work.
Price: $196 Member price $176.40
Celebration of Passover
In this striking fused glass piece, Amir uses some of the symbols of the Seder, the wine goblets, the matzoh on the table, and bringing in the flowers of the coming of Spring.
Price: $196 Member price 176.40
We are very excited to have the work of Haim Amir in the JMM Gift Shop. Call for further details or information. Esther Weiner, Gift Shop Manager, 410-732-6400, ext. 211 / eweiner@jewishmuseummd.org
PROJECT MAH JONGG COMING! MARCH 30, 2014!
The Museum Shop will be a fun place to shop for your favorite Mah Jongg must-have pieces…your game will be on-game! These are only a SAMPLE of what you will find! See you at the tables!
Esther Weiner, Museum Shop Manager, 410-732-6400, ext. 211 / eweiner@jewishmuseummd.org
If you thought we were going to let Passages Through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War slip away quietly, rest assured, that is not at all how we do things at the JMM. Be sure to check out the exciting programs we have planned over the next few weeks and you are sure to be impressed by the wide array of farewell activities we have planned!
Closing February 27th!
We are marking the President’s Day weekend with a special opportunity to meet our 16th president. On February 16th Abraham Lincoln will be visiting the Museum and you will have the chance to rub shoulders with him while enjoying some fun activities for the whole family. At 1pm Honest Abe and I will take to the stage, where I will be interviewing him, which is an exciting and terrifying prospect! I have many questions inspired by the exhibit, as well as some questions about the myths that surround Lincoln. I would also love to ask some of the questions that you have for the president. Please send me your questions (tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org), and I will do what I can to pass them along to the president.
The following weekend is sadly the final weekend of Passages Through the Fire but we plan to end on a high note with not one, but two fabulous events! On Saturday night, February 22nd, beginning at 7:30pm, dance with us at our Civil War themed Farewell Cotillion. Entertainment will be provided by Choreographic Antique (of Goucher College) and Brad Kolodner and Friends. Enjoy an evening of dance and music all washed down with a glass of Civil War era punch! Costumes are not necessary, but this is your chance to release your inner Scarlett or Rhett.
The next day Harold Holzer of the Metropolitan Museum of Art will visit to deliver his talk, Kaddish for Lincoln. Holzer is an expert on Lincoln and was recently a scrip consultant for the movie Lincoln. He will discuss how Lincoln came to be the first American gentile for whom the Jewish community said Kaddish and how he came to have the title of American Moses.
See below for more information about these programs and others.
~Trillion Attwood, Program Manager
Upcoming Programs
Please note that unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Jewish Museum of Maryland (15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, MD 21202). For more information and to RSVP for specific programs, contact Trillion Attwood: (410) 732-6400 x215 / tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org. For more information on JMM events please visit www.jewishmuseummd.org.
February 2014
Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln’s city
Sunday, February 9, 2:00pm
Program free with Museum Admission
Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln’s City is a temporary exhibit currently on view in the JMM lobby on loan from the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Laura Apelbaum, JHSGW’s Executive Director, will talk about some of the most fascinating characters who were living in the city at the same time as Lincoln.
Laura Cohen Apelbaum is a native of the Washington area and has been executive director of the Jewish Historical Society since 1994. She has a master’s degree in taxation from Georgetown University, a law degree from George Washington University, and a bachelor’s degree in American History from Duke University.
Late Night on Lloyd Street: The Dating Game
Wednesday, February 12, 6:00pm
FREE
Join us for this “romantic” Late Night on Lloyd Street as we play our very own version of the Dating Game! Test your knowledge of Jewish Baltimore History and our collections, and a very special bonus round about the language of fans, inspired by our upcoming Cotillion. You will also have a chance to decorate your own fan or manly handkerchief, the ultimate in 19th century style!
As with all Late Night on Lloyd Streets there will be plenty of snacks and drinks. This event is generously supported by the Grandchildren of Harvey M. and Lyn P. Meyerhoff Philanthropic Fund.
Family Day: Lincoln Comes to Baltimore
Sunday, February 16, 11:00am to 3:00pm
Abraham Lincoln living history performance at 1:00pm
Program Free with Museum Admission
What better way to celebrate President’s Day weekend then by joining us for an Abraham Lincoln themed day filled with family fun activities. Actor Jim Getty will bring Lincoln to life in this unique living history performance. JMM Program Manager, Trillion Attwood will interview the 16thPresident about his recollections of the role that Jews played in the Civil War.
This program is part of “Absolutely Febulous” Baltimore’s first combination Hotel Week, Restaurant Week, and Museum week taking place February 14-23. As part of the promotion, we are pleased to offer “Buy One, Get One Free” tickets to our special February 16 Family Day. For more information, check out absolutelyfebulous.com.
Reading Your Way Through the Civil War, Part Two: “March” by Geraldine Brooks
An Imagined Civil War: Civil War Fiction Book discussion of March by Geraldine Brooks
Discussion leader: Anne Sarah Rubin
Thursday, February 20, 6:00pm
Free Admission
This Maryland Humanities Council Book Talk takes place at Enoch Pratt Library, Light Street Branch
Anne Sarah Rubin leads our second book program as she discusses the Pulitzer Prize winning March by Geraldine Brooks. The conversation will consider the relationship between March and Little Women, some of the biographical connections to Louisa May Alcott, and the way in which the novel reflects an alternative Civil War experience.
Anne Sarah Rubin is an Associate Professor of History and Director of the Center for Digital History and Education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She received her AB from Princeton University and her MA and PhD from the University of Virginia. Dr. Rubin is currently President of the Society of Civil War Historians. Register for this talk today, so you can have a good read ready for the cold winter months. Copies of the book are available and can be borrowed at no cost from the Museum. Register now with Trillion Attwood tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400 ext.215.
This is a Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War partner program! Making Sense of the American Civil War, a reading and discussion series, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. Additional support has been provided by the Maryland Humanities Council.
Passages Through the Fire Farewell Cotillion
Saturday, February 22, 7:30pm
Tickets $15 – $20
Join us for an evening of dancing and fun as we send our exhibit Passages Through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War off in true Civil War-era style. Chorégraphie Antique, the dance history ensemble from Goucher College will be on hand to demonstrate and teach us the most popular dances of the time period.
While costumes are not required, there will be prizes for the most impressive outfits of the evening. This is your chance to channel your inner Scarletts & Rhetts! So pull out those hoop skirts, polish up your genteel manners and enjoy an evening you won’t soon forget.
Punch and provisions included, as well as alcoholic beverages for those guests 21 and over. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased over the phone and online at https://jewishmuseummd.org/donations-memberships/cotillion/.
Sadie B. Feldman Family Lecture: Kaddish for Lincoln
Sunday, February 23, 1:00pm
Speaker: Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Program Free with Museum Admission
By tradition, Abraham Lincoln was the first American gentile for whom Jews said Kaddish–the Hebrew prayer for the dead. The story may approach the realm of legend, but reverence for Lincoln among many Jews of his time was real, and the mass national mourning after his assassination reached not only the church but the synagogue. In this discussion of Jewish attitudes toward Lincoln–and Lincoln’s evolving attitude toward Jews, Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer explores the 16th president’s legal decisions and personal attitudes on Jews and Jewish issues during the Civil War, and assesses whether the Great Emancipator deserved the name many contemporaries gave to him in the 19th Century: American Moses.
Harold Holzer is Chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, official successor organization of the U. S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which he co-chaired for nine years, appointed by President Bill Clinton. Holzer is the author, co-author, or editor of 46 books on Lincoln and the Civil War era, most recently Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America (2012), the official young-adult companion book for the Steven Spielberg film, for which he served as script consultant. In his full-time professional career, Holzer serves as Senior Vice President for Public Affairs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he has spent the last 21 years.
More Programs
The JMM is pleased to share our campus with B’nai Israel Congregation. For additional information about B’nai Israel events and services for Shabbat, please visit bnaiisraelcongregation.org. For more of this month’s events from BIYA, please visit biyabaltimore.org or check out BIYA on facebook. www.facebook.com/groups/biyabaltimore
BIYA Boot Camp
Certified Personal Trainer David BenMoshe will whip you into shape every Sunday morning from 10:45-11:30am at B’nai Israel in the cold months and at the Patterson Park Pagoda in the warm months. $18/month or $5/session
Go to http://www.biyabaltimore.org/biya-boot-camp.html for more info.
Exhibits
Exhibits currently on display at the JMM include Voices of Lombard Street: A Century of Change in East Baltimore, The Synagogue Speaks! and Passages through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War on display through February, 27, 2014.
Hours and Tour Times
The JMM is open Sunday-Thursday, 10am – 5pm. We offer tours of our historic synagogues each day at 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. We are delighted to announce the debut of a new themed “1861 Tour” of the Lloyd Street Synagogue that focuses on Baltimore’s Jewish community during the Civil War. This tour is offered Sunday-Thursday at 3:00pm (in place of the regular tour).
Get Involved
The JMM is looking for volunteers to help staff our front desk, work in the gift shop, and lead tours as docents. No prior knowledge or training is required. All that is needed is an interest in learning about the JMM, our historic sites, exhibits, and programs and a desire to share this knowledge with the public. All volunteers are provided with thorough training. If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer program, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Ilene Cohen at 410.732.6400 x217 or icohen@jewishmuseummd.org.
Membership
Revamped and revitalized, membership at the JMM is now better than ever – with new categories, benefits, and discounts to enrich every visit to the Museum for you and your friends and families.
All members receive our monthly e-newsletter, along with a 10% discount at the Museum store, free general admission to the Museum, free admission to all regular programs, attendance at exclusive member opening events and discounted weekday parking at the City-owned garage at 1001 E. Fayette Street. Your membership provides much needed funding for the many programs that we offer and we hope we can count on you for your continued support. Memberships can be purchase online! http://jewishmuseummd.org/get-involved/museum-membership/ For more information about our membership program, please contact Sue Foard at (410) 732-6400 x220 or sfoard@jewishmuseummd.org.
Gift Shop
The JMM gift shop is the place to find all kinds of wonderful merchandise, from books on a wide variety of topics related to Jewish history and culture to one-of-a-kind jewelry created by Jewish artists to beautiful and unique Jewish ritual objects. Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases. For more information about our gift shop, contact Esther Weiner, gift shop manager at (410) 732-6400 x211 / eweiner@jewishmuseummd.org.
TEMPUS FUGIT
How did it get to be 2014 already? It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the opening of Passages Through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War and now there are just 58 days remaining in its run at JMM. We had large audiences over the holidays – more than 100 came on December 25th alone – and we continue to get great feedback on the exhibit and our 3pm “1861 Tours” of the Lloyd Street Synagogue. If you’ve been procrastinating about visiting, move us up your list of New Year’s resolutions. In fact, a rigorous 1861 Tour can be used in lieu of that daily commitment you made to visit the gym.
Upcoming Programs
Please note that unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Jewish Museum of Maryland (15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, MD 21202). For more information and to RSVP for specific programs, contact Trillion Attwood: (410) 732-6400 x215 / tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org. For more information on JMM events please visit www.jewishmuseummd.org.
JANUARY 2014
The Second American Revolution and Broadening Concepts of American Citizenship, 1850-65
Book discussion of America’s War: Talking About the Civil War and Emancipation on their 150th Anniversaries, edited by Edward L. Ayers
Discussion facilitator: John Matsui
Sunday, January 12, 11:00am
Free Admission
This Maryland Humanities Council Book Talk takes place at the Edward A. Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Road, Baltimore, MD 21209
Join us for the first of two Civil War related book discussions. This discussion will use Ayers’ Anthology primarily consisting of original documents to explore some of the key themes relating to the Civil War including the debates over slavery, succession, emancipation and immigrant rights.
Register for this talk today so you can have a good read ready for the cold winter months. Copies of the book are available and can be borrowed at no cost from the Museum.
Conversation facilitator, John H. Matsui graduated from Princeton. His current research focuses on conflicting political ideologies in Civil War America and their effect on Union military occupation policies in Virginia. His current post as Assistant Professor of History at the Virginia Military Institute – near the tombs of Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson – is most ideal.
This is a Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War partner program! Making Sense of the American Civil War, a reading and discussion series, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. Additional support has been provided by the Maryland Humanities Council.
Faith and Freedom in the Civil War
Sunday, January 19, 1:00pm
Program Free with Museum Admission
Join Barbara Franco, Founding Executive Director of the newly-opened Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum, as she explores how the religious foment, innovation, and change wrought by the Second Great Awakening influenced thinking about moral issues of war and slavery, and how Americans of all faiths who met at Gettysburg grappled not only with life and death, but with divergent ideas of faith and freedom that would shape the nation’s future.
A graduate of Bryn Mawr College and the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, Barbara Franco has worked in museums and historical organizations throughout her career. She is currently Executive Director of the Seminary Ridge Museum, which opened on July 1, 2013 on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg — one of the lasting legacies of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War.
Whose side are you on? Baltimore’s Immigrants and the Civil War
Sunday, January 26, 1:00pm
Speaker Nicholas Fessenden
Program Free with Museum Admission
Maryland was deeply divided during the Civil War, and Baltimore was the scene of the conflict’s first casualties on April 19, 1861. Baltimore’s immigrants, Germans, Irish, and Jews, and their children, composed 35% of the city’s population. Nevertheless, histories of Maryland’s Civil War make scant mention of this important segment of the community. While there were divisions among the immigrants themselves, their majority support of the Union was a factor in keeping Maryland on the Union’s side during this critical period.
Nicholas Fessenden, a Philadelphia native, was educated at Yale and Columbia University in history. He taught History at Friends School of Baltimore from 1972 to 2010 and also on an adjunct basis at Towson University and Maryland Institute of Art. Since retirement, he has focused on Baltimore’s immigration history and has been working with the group Baltimore Immigration Memorial to establish a small immigration museum in Locust Point.
Late Night on Lloyd Street: Best Yiddish Workshop Ever
Wednesday, January 29, 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Free Admission
Why Yiddish? Why not?!
The thousand-year old Jewish language traveled from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the new world. For one fun evening the mame-loshn will be making a stop at the JMM. Join us as we celebrate the chutzpah, the herring, and the zaftik humor of this extraordinary language with music, film, interactive games. The great Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem once wrote: lakhn iz gezunt, doktoyrim heysn lakhn, laughter is healthy, doctors prescribe laughter. For one freylikh evening we will explore tsuzamen, together the ways Yiddish can make us become a better mentsh.
Adi Mahalel is a visiting Instructor of Yiddish Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Adi earned a joint degree in Hebrew Literature and in Humanities through the Ofakim honor’s degree program at Haifa University. Adi’s other areas of interest include Yiddish poetry, Jewish American theater and Israeli Yiddish literature. He has taught courses in Yiddish language and culture. Adi is also a regular contributor to the Yiddish Forward and other Yiddish publications.
As with all Late Night on Lloyd Streets there will be plenty of snacks and drinks.
This program is generously supported by the Grandchildren of Harvey M. and Lyn P. Meyerhoff Philanthropic Fund.
February 2014
Reading Your Way Through the Civil War, Part Two: “March” by Geraldine Brooks
An Imagined Civil War: Civil War Fiction Book discussion of March by Geraldine Brooks
Discussion leader: Anne Sarah Rubin
Thursday, February 20, 6:00pm
Free Admission
This Maryland Humanities Council Book Talk takes place at Enoch Pratt Library, Light Street Branch
Anne Sarah Rubin leads our second book program as she discusses the Pulitzer Prize winning March by Geraldine Brooks. The conversation will consider the relationship between March and Little Women, some of the biographical connections to Louisa May Alcott, and the way in which the novel reflects an alternative Civil War experience.
Register for this talk today, so you can have a good read ready for the cold winter months. Copies of the book are available and can be borrowed at no cost from the Museum. Register now with Trillion Attwood tattwood@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400 ext.215
Anne Sarah Rubin is an Associate Professor of History and Director of the Center for Digital History and Education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She received her AB from Princeton University and her MA and PhD from the University of Virginia. Dr. Rubin is currently President of the Society of Civil War Historians.
This is a Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War partner program! Making Sense of the American Civil War, a reading and discussion series, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. Additional support has been provided by the Maryland Humanities Council.
Family Day: Lincoln Comes to Baltimore
Sunday, February 16, 11:00am to 3:00pm
Abraham Lincoln living history performance at 1:00pm
Program Free with Museum Admission
What better way to celebrate President’s Day weekend then by joining us for an Abraham Lincoln themed day filled with family fun activities. Actor Jim Getty will bring Lincoln to life in this unique living history performance. JMM Program Manager, Trillion Attwood will interview the 16thPresident about his recollections of the role that Jews played in the Civil War.
More Programs
The JMM is pleased to share our campus with B’nai Israel Congregation. For additional information about B’nai Israel events and services for Shabbat, please visit bnaiisraelcongregation.org. For more of this month’s events from BIYA, please visit biyabaltimore.org or check out BIYA on facebook. www.facebook.com/groups/biyabaltimore
Exhibits
Exhibits currently on display at the JMM include Voices of Lombard Street: A Century of Change in East Baltimore, The Synagogue Speaks! and Passages through the Fire: Jews and the Civil War on display through February, 27, 2014.
Hours and Tour Times
The JMM is open Sunday-Thursday, 10am – 5pm. We offer tours of our historic synagogues each day at 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00. We are delighted to announce the debut of a new themed “1861 Tour” of the Lloyd Street Synagogue that focuses on Baltimore’s Jewish community during the Civil War. This tour is offered Sunday-Thursday at 3:00pm (in place of the regular tour).
Get Involved
The JMM is looking for volunteers to help staff our front desk, work in the gift shop, and lead tours as docents. No prior knowledge or training is required. All that is needed is an interest in learning about the JMM, our historic sites, exhibits, and programs and a desire to share this knowledge with the public. All volunteers are provided with thorough training. If you are interested in learning more about our volunteer program, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Ilene Cohen at 410.732.6400 x217 or icohen@jewishmuseummd.org.
Membership
Revamped and revitalized, membership at the JMM is now better than ever – with new categories, benefits, and discounts to enrich every visit to the Museum for you and your friends and families.
All members receive our monthly e-newsletter, along with a 10% discount at the Museum store, free general admission to the Museum, free admission to all regular programs, attendance at exclusive member opening events and discounted weekday parking at the City-owned garage at 1001 E. Fayette Street. Your membership provides much needed funding for the many programs that we offer and we hope we can count on you for your continued support. Memberships can be purchase online! http://jewishmuseummd.org/get-involved/museum-membership/ For more information about our membership program, please contact Sue Foard at (410) 732-6400 x220 or sfoard@jewishmuseummd.org.
Gift Shop
Check out our amazing variety of books on the Civil War in the JMM Museum Shop.
Call Esther Weiner, Museum Shop Manager, 410-732-6400, for details. Your copy can be mailed to you or to a recipient as a gift. Remember, JMM members receive a 10% discount on each order.