Becoming American: Jewish Immigration in the early 20th century
3rd – 6th grades

An interactive experience about Jewish immigration in the early 20th century with a historical interpreter.

Welcome to the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History’s flagship program: Becoming American / Traveling Suitcase.  In this two-part program, your students become storytellers, detectives, and historians. They will use objects as their primary source for clues, research, and interpretation.

Part I 

In the first part of this program your classroom will receive (either by mail or in person) replicas of objects in the museum’s collection, made for hands-on exploration. These artifacts provide a window into the life of Eva Baen, born Chava Brucha. With the suitcase’s collection of objects and prompts, students bring her story to life!

Part II

 Following your Traveling Suitcase program, students visit the museum, either in person or virtually. This visit will focus on Eva’s story. Students will also see the real artifacts from the Traveling Suitcase. In addition to the museum tour, students “meet” Eva Baen through a historical interpreter. This program brings Eva and her journey to life!

The Weitzman preserves and amplifies well-known and everyday Americans’ complex, courageous, and significant histories. Join us in this important work!

There are multiple ways to bring this program to your classroom, synagogue, or community center:

Option A: A Museum educator visits your community to conduct activities in person (available now to schools in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey). Following the in-class activity, students visit the museum.

Option B: Suitcase with lesson plans and support materials is mailed to your community, and a Museum Educator conducts the lesson virtually, followed by a virtual museum visit, which includes the historical interpreter.

Option C: Suitcase with lesson plans and support materials mailed to your community for educators to use on their own, followed by a virtual museum visit, which includes the historical interpreter.

Ready to book your visit?

Please click here to fill out our brief intake form. For further questions or other group inquiries, contact Group Sales Manager AJ McCormick at amccormick@theweitzman.org or (215) 391-4647. Please note that an intake form does not guarantee a booking. Bookings are only confirmed once acknowledged by our team.

INTAKE FORM

Cost of Group Visits

• School Groups – All Title 1 schools are eligible for full subvention, including bus transportation. For all other educational school groups, we have needs-based funding available.
• All Other Groups – Group bookings, including private tours, are available starting at $18pp. Please inquire about availability and pricing.

Hours of Operation
The Museum is open to the public Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Groups may be accommodated on other days of the week.

CONTACT US TODAY
education@theweitzman.org

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