George S. Rosenthal, Daniel J. Ransohoff and Ben Rosen:

Documenting Cincinnati’s Neighborhoods

October 22–December 21, 2014

A FOTOFOCUS exhibition presented by the Cincinnati Skirball Museum of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives in partnership with the Cincinnati Museum Center.

5:30 light, grazing-style supper and self-touring of Ransohoff and Rosenthal photographs at Mayerson Hall

6:15 welcoming remarks with Rosenthal and Ransohoff family members

6:30 dessert and self-touring of Rosen photographs at the American Jewish Archives

7:00 remarks with Rosen family members

Reservations recommended. 513.487.3098 or jmendelson@huc.edu

Jewish Queen City Bus TourSunday, November 2 at 10 am Historical tour led by American Jewish Archives staff. Visit landmark Jewish sites downtown and in Avondale. $25.00 fee. Registration required by calling Nancy Dowlin at 513.487.3017. Space limited.

The West End: Looking Back, Looking Forward Wednesday, November 12 at 7 pm Mayerson HallLocal historians, scholars, and consultants discuss an historic neighborhood. Program support provided by the Daniel J. Ransohoff Lectures Fund of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Free and open to the public. Reservations requested by calling Jen Mendelson at 513.487.3098 or jmendelson@huc.edu

Wednesday, October 22, 20145:30–8:00 pm

In conjunction with the Skirball and American Jewish Archives exhibitions, the Klau Library will display a selection of books from its collections by and about Jewish photographers. On opening night, the Library will be open until 9 pm. All venues are located at 3101 Clifton Avenue.

Skirball Museum hoursTuesday and Thursday 11 am–4 pm Sunday 1–5 pm

American Jewish Archives hoursMonday–Thursday 9:30 am–4:30 pm and Friday 9:30 am–2:30 p.m

Klau Library hoursMonday–Thursday 7:45 am–9 pmFriday 7:45 am–3 pm and Sunday 2–6 pm

PUBLIC PROGRAMSEXHIBITION OPENING

The Museum's Collections

The Skirball Museum's extensive and wide-ranging collections include:

Archaeological materials from biblical and later historical periods illuminating

early Jewish life.

An extraordinary body of Jewish ceremonial art ranging over the last five

centuries of Jewish life.

An important assemblage of coins, medals, and seals.

An extensive group of objects exemplifying Jewish historical experience.

Stellar fine arts holdings comprised of graphics, paintings, sculptures, and

drawings.

The Museum's History

The Skirball Museum has a long history as one of the oldest repositories of Jewish cultural

artifacts in America. The first stage in the museum's development lasted for nearly a century,

beginning when Hebrew Union College (HUC) opened in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1875 and over

time began accepting donations of Judaic objects and books. In 1913 the College's Union

Museum was founded with the assistance of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods,

becoming the first formally established Jewish museum in the United States. In the 1920s, the

collections rapidly expanded with the purchase of several significant private collections of

Judaica, including those of Salli Kirchstein, Joseph Hamburger, and Louis Grossman. In 1950,

HUC merged with the Jewish Institute of Religion (JIR).

In 1990, The Skirball Museum Cincinnati opened in the newly renovated Mayerson Hall,

presenting it’s core exhibit An Eternal People: The Jewish Experience, comprised of seven

thematic galleries that portray the cultural, historical and religious heritage of the Jewish

people:

SKIRBALL MUSEUM

Immigration: The history of the arrival of Jewish immigrants and their contri-

bution to American culture and society. Features such prominent figures as Al-

bert Einstein and actor Danny Kaye.

Cincinnati Jewry: Highlights the impact of the Jewish community on Cincin-

nati with particular attention given to the establishment and contribution of

Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion

Archaeology: Items from Egypt and Palestine that focus on the life, death and

religion of everyday people. The exhibit includes examples of material from the

caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

Torah: Centralized around a beautiful Torah Scroll that survived the rise and

fall of Nazi Germany, the Torah section illuminates the importance of the Book

for ancient and modern Judaism.

Jewish Festivals and Life Cycles: Illustrative artifacts related to the various

holidays and life events are prominently displayed. The importance of the

calendar, festivals, and events such as coming of age, and marriage, are empha-

sized to enhance the understanding of what it means to be Jewish in the modern

world.

The Holocaust: Art and a remembrance wall inspire the visitor through the

depiction of the atrocity of the Holocaust and the courage of the human spirit in

the face of great evil. A video presentation relates the astounding story of the

refugee ship the Exodus.

Israel: An artistic overview that reveals the spirit of the land, its people and

its culture.

The Archaeology Center at the Skirball Museum

A hands-on learning and research facility for furthering and enhancing the study

of Archaeology and integrating it with Biblical and Ancient Near East-

ern history and culture. The artifacts at The Archaeology Center were discovered

at HUC-JIR's excavations in Israel spanning the 2nd to 1st millennia BCE. The

Center's visual displays, artifacts, and educational games provide students of all

ages with a window into the multi-cultural world of antiquity. Visitors will learn

how archaeologists identify and date pottery by its features and where it is

found. The evolution of the alphabet and the significant periods and events of

ancient history are also featured in colorful maps and timelines and there are op-

portunities to practice digging for artifacts and making a mosaic.

Tears of Hope, Tears of Joy

Tears of Hope is an art piece of hand blown glass and stainless steel by artist Jo-

el Otterson. It was commissioned as a gift from Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson

in honor of Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk, Ph.D. for his years of dedication as Presi-

dent of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion from 1971 to 1995.

It is on display in the lobby of the museum.