Oregon Jewish Museum facts for kids
The museum's entrance, 2018
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| Location | 724 NW Davis St, Portland, Oregon |
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The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education is a special place in Oregon, United States. It's the biggest museum that tells the story of Jewish people in Oregon. The museum collects, studies, and shows art, old documents, and items that teach about Jewish history and culture in Oregon.
They have many old records from their past shows, cultural events, and learning programs. These records help people understand Jewish identity, culture, and how Jewish people became part of the wider community.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's Journey
The idea for the museum started in 1989. A rabbi named Joshua Stampfer invited people from Portland's Jewish community to a meeting. He wanted to create the first Jewish museum in the Pacific Northwest.
In its early years, the museum put on many interesting shows. These included exhibits about the Jews of Greece and the legacy of Bezalel. These first shows were held in different places. They used the Central Library, art galleries, and other synagogues.
Growing the Collection and Moving Locations
In 1996, the museum joined with the Jewish History Society of Oregon. This was a big step! The museum received many important historical items. These included records, family papers, and photos from 1850 until today. This collection is the largest record of Jewish history in Oregon. The Oregon Historical Society gave them a small office to keep these items safe. Today, these old papers are a main part of the museum's archives.
In July 1998, the museum hired its first director. They also moved into an office at Montgomery Park. In October 2000, the museum moved again. This time, it went to a storefront in Northwest Portland.
In 2001, the museum moved to the Pearl District. Here, they opened a major show called A Call to Serve: Oregon Jews in the Armed Services. This exhibit looked at the experiences of Jewish people from Oregon who served in the U.S. Military.
Finding a Permanent Home
In 2009, the museum found its current building in Northwest Portland. It was an old commercial film building. In just five months, they raised enough money to change the building. The museum opened to the public on December 20, 2009.
In 2014, the Oregon Jewish Museum joined with the Center for Holocaust Education. This made the museum even stronger.
In June 2017, the museum moved to 724 NW Davis Street. This new building is much larger, with 15,000 square feet of space.
Main Exhibitions to Explore
The museum has several important exhibitions that are always on display.
- Discrimination and Resistance, An Oregon Primer: This exhibit shows Oregon's history of unfair treatment. It covers from when Oregon was a territory up through the 1900s. It also tells how people fought against discrimination and won.
- Oregon Jewish Stories: This exhibition shares the experiences of Oregon's Jewish community. It starts from the Gold Rush days in the 1840s and continues to today. It explores what it means to be Jewish in Oregon.
- The Holocaust, An Oregon Perspective: This exhibit teaches about the Holocaust. It shares the stories of people who survived the Holocaust and later moved to Oregon. It connects the past to the present. It asks visitors questions like, "What brings you here today?" and "How do you feel about what you've seen?"
Past Special Exhibitions
The museum often has new, temporary exhibitions. Here are some that have been shown in the past:
- Hans Coper - Less Means More (June 6 - September 22, 2019)
- Betty LaDuke - Early Work (June 6 - September 22, 2019)
- Mel Bochner - Enough Said from the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation (March 7 - May 26, 2019)
- The Last Journey of the Jews of Lodz (October 9, 2018 - February 24, 2019)
- R.B. Kitaj: A Jew Etc., Etc.. (June 7 - September 30, 2018)
- Vedem: The Underground Magazine of the Terezin Ghetto (February 16 - May 27, 2018)
- I Am This, Art by Oregon Jewish Artists (October 19, 2017 - February 4, 2018)
- Munich to Portland: A Painting Saves A Family (October 19, 2017 - February 4, 2018)
- Alefbet: The Alphabet of Memory (June 11 - October 1, 2017)
- "Illuminated Letters: Threads of Connection" by Sara Harwin (February - May 2014)
- Settling In (May–September, 2013)
- Pictures of Resistance: The Wartime Photographs of Faye Schulman (February – April, 2013)
- Oregon or Bust: 1936, Arthur Rothstein photographs (Spring, 2013)
- In the Game (May–September 2012)
- Transport: Works by Henk Pander and Esther Podemski (January–March, 2012)
- 48 Jews Works by Abshalom Jac Lahav (June-September, 2009)
