Beginning in the 1600s when the first permanent Jewish settlers came to the New World from Brazil, our core exhibition flows chronologically as it highlights the diverse backgrounds, expectations, and experiences of Jews who first came to these shores and the generations that followed. The exhibition illustrates the choices they faced, the challenges they confronted, and the ways in which they shaped, and were shaped by, their American home.
Discover American Jewish history using the links below. Keep scrolling for more information about each exhibition floor. Here are some helpful tips!
Made possible by generous support from George S. Blumenthal
Photography by Ardon Bar-Hama
Through the lives of real people—some well known, others less so—the Ed Snider Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame weaves compelling stories from the past and present with the larger themes of the Museum’s core exhibition. The extraordinary individuals featured in Only in America® illustrate that a hallmark of the American Jewish experience has been an unparalleled opportunity to aspire, achieve, and possibly change the world. Only in America® is an innovative combination of multimedia, original artifacts, and interactive experiences.
Schwartz’s narrative not only captures the brutality of the violence but also highlights the complex human relationships that once existed in Hebron, offering a sobering reflection on the collapse of peaceful coexistence and the ongoing struggles for peace and equality.
