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SEARCH ALL PEOPLEHOOD PAPERS

A collection of articles from a diverse group of Jewish leaders and thinkers that cover philosophical aspects of Jewish Peoplehood as well as practical implications for Jewish organizations, schools and communities. Over the years, the Papers have covered a large range of topics relating to Jewish Peoplehood.

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Jewish Peoplehood and Jewish Museums

Shlomi Ravid

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Edition & Article #

18

Introduction

Shana Penn

Jewish museums, as arbiters of peoplehood, shape, and portray Jewish life and legacy through civic-minded, secular narratives, offering diverse perspectives on Jewish history, religion, culture, and society, while addressing themes of identity, nationalism, and inclusion.

Edition & Article #

18.2

Twelve Principles

Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett

The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, conceptualized from the inside out with a focus on the thousand-year history of Polish Jews, employs a chrono-thematic and multi-perspective approach to narrate a complex, integrative history that transcends stereotypes.

Edition & Article #

18.4

Context and Controversy

Antony Polonsky

The late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries have seen a surge in new museums of Jewish People, which reflects a shift in museum functions, engaging a broader public with narratives and electronic communication, and playing a significant role in reshaping cultural and historical understanding in societies worldwide.

Edition & Article #

18.6

Times That Are A-Changin’: Jewish Museums in Germany Today

Cilly Kugelman

Jewish museums, varying greatly based on national contexts and internal interpretations of Jewish identity, face the challenge of defining their role and content in a dynamic sociopolitical landscape, exemplified by the Jewish Museum Berlin's evolution in presenting Jewish-German history and its role in Germany's postwar reconciliation and changing societal demographics.

Edition & Article #

18.8

What Colonel Sanders Taught Us About Jewish Museums

Irina Nevzlin

How does the Beit Hatfutsot, The Museum of the Jewish People, balance innovation with tradition to engage visitors in Jewish identity and culture, and how does it serve as a platform for global Jewish dialogue and a hub for nurturing creative talent?

Edition & Article #

18.1

Foreword

Shlomi Ravid

Marking the second anniversary of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, "The Peoplehood Papers" publication explores the multifaceted roles of Jewish museums in education, community building, and fostering Jewish peoplehood, discussing the challenges they face in presenting dynamic and inclusive narratives in our globalized world.

Edition & Article #

18.1

The Jewish Museum Effect

Jeffrey Shandler

The "museum effect" in Jewish museums refers to how these institutions not only transform the significance of displayed objects and shape visitor experiences, but also reflect broader cultural and community interactions, with visitors actively engaging and contributing to the museum's narrative, thereby influencing the role and significance of Jewish museums in both public and private spheres.

Edition & Article #

18.3

The Jewish Street

Samuel D. Kassow

Polish Jewish history, as portrayed in the POLIN Museum, challenges the singular focus on the Holocaust by highlighting the rich and diverse history of Polish Jews prior to World War II, emphasizing their integral role in Polish society, cultural vibrancy, and the complexities of their experiences, without foreshadowing the impending tragedy of the Holocaust.

Edition & Article #

18.5

The Jewish Museum and Jewish Community in the Context of Russia

Uri Gershowitz

The emergence of Jewish museums in the former Soviet Union represents a significant step in Jewish cultural revival, showcasing a renewed connection to Jewish identity and history, and serving as a platform for integrating Jewish narratives into the broader Russian historical and cultural context, while promoting understanding and tolerance in a multicultural society.

Edition & Article #

18.7

Multi-Dimensional Narrative at the Galicia Jewish Museum, Kraków

Jonathan Webber

A unique perspective on Jewish history in the Galicia Jewish Museum through its core photographic exhibition "Traces of Memory," which represents nowaday realities and interpretations of the Jewish past, avoiding chronological order to highlight the complexity and diversity of Jewish memory, culture, and experiences in the post-Holocaust era.

Edition & Article #

18.9

Making Judaica Relevant

Susan L. Braunstein

Using its collections and programs the Jewish Museum in New York offers diverse interpretations of Jewish culture, inviting visitors to form their own connections through innovative presentations and contemporary artistic collaborations.

Edition & Article #

18.11

CJPE

The Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education serves as a resource and catalyst for developing the field of Jewish Peoplehood. It also serves as the central entity to address the challenges of Jewish Peoplehood education. CJPE offers institutions and individuals the resources and support to obtain professional development, content and programmatic development. It will achieve this through research, resource and content development, evaluation, convening, lectures, and mentoring and consulting.

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