Welcome Museum Educator Alex!

Hello, my name is Alex Malischostak, I am a new part-time educator at JMM. I have lived in Baltimore for a year now and am originally from Detroit, Michigan. I love American Jewish history and am honored to be able to share some Baltimore Jewish history with visitors to the museum.

I also love how connected and intertwined the Jewish community is not just in Baltimore but across the country. Whenever I meet someone new from another city, I can’t resist playing “Jewish geography” to see if we know any of the same people. Sometimes, really special connections can form when we meet someone who knows the same people that we do.

This week, I led a synagogue tour for three gentlemen from Miami Beach. When I found out where they were from, I casually mentioned that I have family in that area and my great-uncle was a well-known Rabbi in North Miami Beach. Well of course, not only did they all know my great-uncle Max, one of the gentlemen, Mr. Glazier, told me that Rabbi Max was the Rabbi who Bar-Mitzvahed him in the 1960s! At the end of the tour, he showed me pictures on his phone from his Bar-mitzvah and there was my great-uncle! Thanks to this serendipitous meeting, I have some very special photos that I am able to share with my family in Detroit, and Miami. I am so fortunate to have made this special personal connection at the museum in my new hometown!