Irish Jewish Museum facts for kids
| Músaem Giúdach na hÉireann | |
Wall plaques at the Irish Jewish Museum. The inscription was intended to read as בּית המדרש הגדול (Bet HaMidrash HaGadol), Hebrew for "Great House of Learning"
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| Established | 20 June 1985 |
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| Location | 3 Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland |
| Type | Jewish museum |
| Public transit access | Harcourt Luas stop (Green Line) South Circular Road (Victoria St) bus stop |
The Irish Jewish Museum (Irish: Músaem Giúdach na hÉireann) is a small museum in Dublin, Ireland. It tells the story of the Irish Jewish community. The museum is in an area called Portobello. This part of Dublin used to have many Jewish families.
The museum opened in June 1985. It was opened by Chaim Herzog, who was the president of Israel at the time. He was born in Ireland. The museum is in a building that was once a Synagogue. This synagogue was built in 1917 from two houses on Walworth Road. The area around it, Portobello, was a Jewish neighborhood. However, many Jewish people moved away in the 1950s. This was part of a larger movement of people leaving Ireland. Dublin's main synagogue later moved to Terenure. The original synagogue building is kept safe. The museum shows old items and has family records.
Exploring the Museum's Collections
The museum has many interesting items. These items show the history of Jewish communities in Ireland. They also highlight their contributions to the country. The collections cover the last 150 years. They include stories from communities in Belfast, Cork, Derry, Drogheda, Dublin, Limerick, and Waterford.
The museum has different sections. In the entrance and hallways, you can see photos, paintings, and old documents. The ground floor shows what daily life was like for the Jewish community. It also covers their businesses and social activities. A special part of the museum is a kitchen display. It shows how a Jewish home might have looked for a special Sabbath or Festival meal. This display is set in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
Upstairs, you can see the original Synagogue. It still has all its special religious items. There is also the Harold Smerling gallery. This gallery displays many Jewish religious objects.
Events in 2005
In 2005, the museum was damaged with hateful messages. Dermot Ahern, who was Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited the museum. He wanted to show the government's support for the museum and the Jewish community. Silvan Shalom, Israel's Foreign Minister, praised Mr. Ahern's actions. The person responsible was caught using CCTV cameras. They were later given a period of probation. Raphael Siev, who was the museum's curator, said the events caused "great upset" to the community.
Plans for the Future
In 2012, the museum started raising money to grow and improve its site. The Office of Public Works helped with this effort. In December 2013, a planning board approved the expansion plans. The plans include taking down the original synagogue at numbers 3 and 4 Walworth Road. They also involve removing three houses next door. The new building would have a basement and a new front that looks like a 19th-century building.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny supported the plan. He called it an "exciting project" for improving the city. However, some local people, city council members, and architects did not agree with the plans. They worried about destroying the original synagogue. They also felt there wasn't enough public discussion about the changes.
See also
- History of the Jews in Ireland
