February 11 – June 30, 2024
At the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, we provide a home for a bountiful collection of archival materials and artifacts. Our collection includes thousands of photographs, documents, films, oral histories, three-dimensional objects, and artworks — the physical objects that represent the Jews of Oregon.
Oregon Jews, A to Z highlights the most significant, poignant, whimsical, beautiful, and funniest objects in OJMCHE’s care. Taken together, these objects offer a vibrant portrait of the history and culture of Oregon Jews.
We invite you to explore the breadth and splendor of the museum collection through more than 100 objects, chosen for their storytelling power.
This exhibition is generously funded through the Alice and Paul Meyer Exhibition Fund of OJMCHE. Further support has been received through the Oregon Cultural Trust.
Image Above
Circumcision Set in the Form of a Sofa, 1890
Gift of Estate of Mira and Gustav Berger 2020.14.10
Exhibition Related Events
Sculpting Your Inner Golem with ahuva s. zaslavsky
Based on her research and writing about the golem, a mythical creature in Jewish folklore, multimedia artist ahuva s. zaslavsky will lead a hands-on sculpture workshop using clay and found materials. She will share the cultural context behind the creature before guiding participants to construct their own inner golem. All participants will get to keep their sculptures at the end of the workshop. Be careful that it doesn’t come to life when you get home!
May 11 | 1 – 3pm | Location: OJMCHE | $15 general admission, $10 for members
Public Tour of Oregon Jews, A to Z
Join us for a volunteer educator-led public tour of Oregon Jews, A to Z as we explore some of the most significant, poignant, whimsical, beautiful, and funniest objects in OJMCHE’s care. Together they create a vibrant mosaic of Jewish life in Oregon. Included with admission; free for members. RSVP recommended but not required.
March 23 | 12pm | Location: OJMCHE
April 20 | 12pm | Location: OJMCHE
May 18 | 12pm | Location: OJMCHE
June 22 | 12pm | RSVP Here
Spill Those Guts Already: A Flash Memoir Class with Leanne Grabel
Led by author and artist Leanne Grabel and inspired by the objects in Oregon Jews, A-Z, this workshop will teach you how to write FLASH MEMOIR. Flash memoir is SHORT. You will write poignant, well-crafted, one to two-page autobiographical vignettes about the people, places, objects, moments that shaped your life–using the exhibition as a springboard. Join for a fun workshop that will strengthen your writing and editing skills as well as your ability to tell stories through prose.
June 15 | 1 – 3pm | Location: OJMCHE | $25 per participant, Purchase Ticket
Q is for Queer: A Conversation with Rabbi Rachel Joseph and Blair Denniberg
Join Rabbi Rachel Joseph of Congregation Beth Israel and Blair Denniberg of Tisch PDX for a conversation about queer Jewish identity. The panelists will discuss what it means to be a queer Jew, both historically and currently, and reflect on the future of Jewish LGBTQIA+ community in Oregon.
June 27 | 6pm – 7pm, Doors open at 5:30pm | Location: OJMCHE | $5 General Admission, Free for members with code on back of membership card, Purchase Ticket