Kaddish is commonly known as a mourner's prayer, but in fact, variations on the Kaddish prayer are routinely recited at many other times, and the prayer itself has nothing to do with death or mourning. The prayer begins "May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified in the world that He created as He willed. May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days ..." and continues in much that...

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From its inception, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) was charged with the task of fundraising in Jewish communities for the purpose of purchasing land in Eretz Yisrael to create a homeland for the Jewish people. JNF's signature Blue Boxes, which were used to collect the necessary funds, are now known worldwide as a symbol of Zionism. JNF's work is evident in every facet of life in Israel, from beautiful forests to vital reservoirs to the...

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Andy Warhol's Ten Portraits of Jews of the Twentieth Century depicts renowned luminaries of Jewish culture: Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, and Gertrude Stein. Warhol referred to this pantheon of great thinkers, politicians, performers, and writers as his "Jewish geniuses." Warhol's iconic portraits attest to the lasting achievements and fame of these singular figures. Originally published as a portfolio of silkscreen...

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Russian-born painter Marc Chagall (1887-1985) established a reputation as one of the most eminent among 20th century modern artists. His work was dominated by rich sources of imagery- memories of his family life, folklore of his early years in Russia, and the Bible. The Drawings for the Bible were commissioned in 1930 by Ambroise Vollard, a Parisian art dealer and publisher of deluxe art books. Chagall traveled to Palestine to experience for himself the people,...

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Jews of the Luthertown Wittenberg in the Third Reich began the 2012 Exhibition Series in the Mezzanine Gallery and ran from January 15-February 23, 2012. Wittenberg was the city where Martin Luther wrote the papers leading to the protestant reformation; the same papers which were used by the Nazis to fuel anti-Semitism and to discredit and persecute Jews. This exhibit was originally conceived as a response to the negative heritage of Martin Luther’s teachings in...

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Textiles are the most varied of ‘manufactured’ goods. Lending themselves to body covering, shelter, food storage, transportation of goods, and group/clan identification, they were—and remain to this day—objects of high status, decoration, creativity, and spiritual identity. A Stitch in Jewish Time: Provocative Textiles explores how a variety of exceptional contemporary artists apply their skillful creativity to the ever-evolving understanding of Jewish values. The individual textiles address issues of memory and reflection, interpretations of history and...

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“In America the biggest is the best.” -Roy Lichtenstein Roy Lichtenstein spent his career in a relationship with American popular culture. As a beginning artist, he turned his interest in the legends of the American West into painting of western subjects in modern art styles. His signature comic strip style paintings were first introduced to the art world in 1960. Lichtenstein’s technique, using large dots to simulate mass market printing in very large scale formats, led...

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David Halpern is a photographer living in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since 1973, his photographs have been exhibited annually in museums and galleries across America, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards. An avid traveler, he has photographed a variety of subjects throughout the United States, and in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, South America, England, Italy, Africa and Greece. Until recently, his most recognizable images were his large format...

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For this premier event, members of the Green Country Watercolor Society interpreted the Jewish philosophy, Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) in water color paintings. The exhibit was a juried members’ show, and all works exhibited were available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art.   This show was on display in our Mezzanine Gallery November 14 - December 26,...

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In spring 2013, area K-12 students will participate in the Seventh Annual Purim Mask Invitational, with the opportunity to have their creations displayed for several weeks within the museum.  On Purim, it is a mitzvah (commandment) to hear the Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) that tells the story of Purim read aloud. Due to Esther’s disguising her identity as a Jewess, it has become custom to dress up and mask one's identity during the...

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