Contemporary Jewish Museum

Levi is wearing his mask, and so can you! While we remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are happy to join museums across California in supporting the State's COVID-19 health guidelines: Wear your mask Keep your distance (6 ft+) Stay home if you’re sick... Wash your hands frequently Share to show your support and tag #MuseumsForMasks Stay safe and healthy! See more

In November 1940, days after the Nazis sealed 450,000 Jews in the Warsaw ghetto, a secret band of journalists, scholars and community leaders decided to fight back with the power of pen and paper. In recognition of #InternationalHolocaustRemembranceDay, we invite you to watch celebrated docudrama "Who Will Write Our History" about the secret archives of the Warsaw Ghetto. Taube Philanthropies is offering free streaming of this award-winning film through February 5.

It's big. It's bold. It's Jewish. Learn how we can take action as a community to address the climate crisis at the The Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest. This free, online festival honors the holiday of Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for trees, which marks the changing of the seasons and hints at the renewal of life that lies ahead. Discover the lineup of gatherings on energy and solar, organizing and movement-building, food and agriculture, Jewish learning, organizational and political leadership and much more!

Happy birthday Daveed D. Diggs! In addition to starring in Hamilton, #Blindspotting, and #Soul, the Oakland native gave us one of the best new Hanukkah songs this year. We can’t wait to see what you do next! #hbd!

Start your weekend off right with some updated #Yiddish words for the internet era! Here are a few highlights from author Daniel Klein's hilarious new lexicon, "Schmegoogle: Yiddish Words for Modern Times": : n. Mistakenly posting the wrong photo on Instagram. Derived from the Yiddish "glitsh" (Americanized to "glitch"), meaning to slip or nosedive. : adj. Quality of a person whose Tweets are over-the-top and self-serving. Derived from the Yiddish "...chutzpah," meaning arrogance, brazenness, presumptuousness. -: n. A post on social media that is too long to keep its reader’s attention, like a Twitter thread that just goes on and on. This term stems from the Yiddish word "megillah," which means long and tedious story. Head to the #linkinbio to learn some creatively updated Yiddish words to help you express yourself at your next cyberschmooze via Kveller.com! https://www.kveller.com/14-hilarious-new-yiddish-words-for/

Calling all Bay Area artists! Are you (or someone you know) in need of studio space as a result of financial hardship or circumstances surrounding COVID-19? Artist Studios at The CJM is a new program that will offer two recipient artists workspace in The Museum for five months, from MarchAugust 2021. Jewish and non-Jewish artists working in a wide range of media are encouraged to apply! Through this program, we hope to help sustain the rich and diverse culture of the Bay Area arts community. Make sure to turn in your application by JANUARY 4. Learn more and apply at the link below!

Back by popular demand! In case you missed it last week, join us for a special Hanukkah Sunday Story. In 1975, rock ‘n’ roll impresario Bill Graham was approached by local San Francisco community leaders Rabbi Chaim Drizin along with Rabbi Yosef Langer of Chabad and Zev Putterman of KQED to create the first large-scale public menorah-lighting ceremony in the United States. Today, thousands of communities around the world celebrate Hanukkah with a large public menorah, each proudly displaying their local traditions and customs. In this special Sunday Story, travel around the world with us to experience Hanukkah as only Bill Graham could have imagined.

Back by popular demand! In case you missed it last week, join us on Dec 13 at 10am for a special Hanukkah Sunday Story.

It's wouldn't be the first night of Hanukkah without LATKES! Duck out of work a little early to get the inside scoop on making the perfect potato pancake today at 4:30pm. Gabi Moskowitz (of BrokeAss Gourmet) walks us through her classic potato and onion recipe and Kristin Eriko Posner (of Nourish Co.) shares her amazing Japanese fusion latkes. Register now and get ready to grate along with us. The only question is: sour cream or applesauce?

In a moment when meaningful connection and engagement in community is more critical than ever, we invite you to join us in conversation with two Bay Area artists whose work expresses the importance of history, heritage, and representation. Curators Heidi Rabben and Qianjin Montoya of The Contemporary Jewish Museum (The CJM) will talk with Bay Area artists Nicki Green and Woody De Othello on their work with ceramics and clay, and explore how both artists upend the medium’s con...ventions in critical and captivating ways. Green's sculptures, which include Jewish ritual objects and various flat works, evoke themes ranging from the preservation of history to aesthetics of otherness and conceptual ornamentation. De Othello's works merge the figurative and anthropomorphic elements of everyday objects to build a presence of material just outside our understanding of scale and gravity. We invite everyone to journey with us as we delve into the connections between civic engagement, art, and community. This program was originally presented on Zoom on October 23, 2020.

Looking for last-minute Halloween inspiration? Check out the mysterious exhibition "Predicting the Past: Zohar Studios, The Lost Years" and encounter the story of a nineteenth-century photographer, meet his intriguing clientele, and discover a collection of uncanny images. Now on view at The CJMcome decide for yourself whether it's more trick or treat! [Images: 1. Stephen Berkman, "Obscura Object," undated. Albumen print, 11x 14 in. 2. Stephen Berkman, "Fraternal Furriers," undated. Albumen print, 11x 14, in. 3. Stephen Berkman, "Zohar’s Studio," undated. Albumen print, 11x 14 in.]

The clock is ticking: #ElectionDay is one week from today! Do you have a voting plan? There's still time to #PlanYourVote if you haven't yet. More info www.planyourvote.org Artwork by Laurie Simmons for #PlanYourVote, a project of Vote.org to promote and empower citizens in the exercise of their voting rights.

Straitjackets, shackles, milk cans, packing trunksnothing could hold Harry Houdini, renowned magician, escape artist, and legendary twentieth-century performer. In this Sunday Story, join us to discover Houdini’s unforgettable story, from his beginnings as the son of a poor Hungarian rabbi to his meteoric rise to international fame through his gripping theatrical presentations and heart-stopping outdoor spectacles. Don’t miss this exploration of Houdini’s life, legend, and enduring cultural influence.

In need of some #LevisCJM swag? Looking to learn more about the late, great #RBG? Or perhaps you're on the hunt for a little Jewish humor to lift the spirits. You're in luck#TheCJMShop is open and full of opportunities to #treatyourself. There's something for everyone, so come on by during your next trip to The Museum or visit the shop online shop.thecjm.org/

Curious characters, uncanny photographs, and untold mysteriesdiscover them all in Stephen Berkman's immersive photography installation "Predicting the Past: Zohar Studios, The Lost Years." Come investigate the newly-open exhibition, now #onview at #TheCJM! Book tickets https://thecjm.me/3o8GaTE

vote. vote. vote. Artist Christine Sun Kim says it best in this week's voting artwork. We're less than three short weeks away from Election Day. If you haven't yet, today is a great day to #PlanYourVote! It's as easy as 1, 2, 3. For more inspirational artwork and information on making a voting plan, visit planyourvote.org. #VoteDotOrg #VoteReady #Vote2020 #ChristineSunKim

Reopening day was a blastwe're so happy to have our community in the galleries again. Check out some of the highlights, and plan your visit at thecjm.org/visit. We'd love to see you!