Jewish history museum opens doors to students

On Thursday night, a number of Penn students traced the history of American Jews merely by walking through the three floors of a museum just 20 minutes from campus.

Last night, the National Museum of American Jewish History opened its doors to Penn students and students from other local universities for its first-ever College Night.

“This museum represents our history and our future,” Rachel Hollander, Jewish Student Life Coordinator at Penn Hillel, said. “And it’s really important for everybody to get a glimpse of that.” Hollander also emphasized that Penn students should take the opportunity to visit the museum as it is “all right here in Philly.”

The event drew approximately 150 students from nearby Drexel and Temple universities as well as from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, according to event co-coordinator and College senior Jessica Bell.

Of the decision to hold the event, NMAJH Public Relations Director Jay Nachman said, “As an institution, we want to make sure we appeal to a broad audience range … I’m hoping [students] walk away with more knowledge of the American Jewish experience, and the sense that this is a museum where you can not only learn a lot, but learn things in a cool and interesting way.”

Josh Perelman, NMAJH deputy director for exhibits, programs, and collections, added, “I hope [college students] take away that this is an exciting new institution in Philadelphia. I hope it whets their appetite to return and think about the issues raised.”

The museum guides visitors chronologically through the history of Jews in the United States, beginning in 1654 and leading up to the present day.

Bell, who has gained a high level of familiarity with the museum through her internship, pointed out some of the NMAJH’s highlights.

“My favorite is the second floor because it focuses on modern American Jewish history,” she said. “There’s one exhibit on [Jewish summer] camps. They also have a movie on the architecture of different synagogues and a video of interviews with World War II soldiers. They also have a few interactive exhibits, including a booth where you record your own experience.”

Some Penn students also pointed out particular exhibits that struck them.

“I just watched a video of really different synagogues, and that was really cool to see and think about how that experience must have been different from my own growing up,” said Laura Heller, a College junior and chairwoman of Kesher, Penn’s Reform Jewish community.

Nursing sophomore Hannah Simons mentioned that the exhibit on the Holocaust was particularly striking. “The Holocaust section was interesting as it’s such an upsetting thing,” she said. “I was just watching the movie [focused on Holocaust survivors] and seeing people tell their stories is really interesting.”

Other visitors from Penn were similarly interested in the museum’s message.

“It was a really cool opportunity to come see the museum with friends,” College senior and former Kesher Chairwoman Hannah Connor said. “It’s always good to see a museum with friends so you can discuss it after. It’s a really great museum, and everyone should come see it.”

Simons echoed Connor’s sentiments about the museum as a whole. “I think it is so important for people to come here because it’s our history. It’s important for us as the younger generation to keep Judaism going.”

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