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14
Friday, April 13, 1984
7 A
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
`Jewish Life in America' comes to Detroit
ADL national and local exhibits will be displayed at the Detroit
Historical Museum through April 29
- •
BY HEIDI PRESS
Local News Editor
Special arrangements were made
for the Anti-Defamation League of
B'nai B'rith-sponsored "Jewish Life in
America: Fulfilling the American
Dream" exhibit currently on display at
the Detroit Historical Museum.
•
According to the museum's de-
puty director, Betty J. Allen, the ex-
hibit calendar had to be changed to
accommodate the touring schedule of
the exhibit. We thought it (the ex-
hibit) was significant enough to do so,"
Ms. Allen said.
In addition, the historical
museum, located in Detroit's cultural
center, built and painted special walls,
and modules — free-standing kiosks
— to house the myriad photos con-
tained in the ADL exhibit and its com-
panion exhibit, "Jewish Life in Michi-
gan."
Ms. Allen added that the museum
was alerted to the availability of the
exhibit about a year ago. We are
pleased they chose the museum" for
the Detroit visit of the display, she
said.
Each city hosting the ADL exhibit
provides a companion exhibit detail-
ing Jewish life in that particular
community or state.
•
The main exhibit is organized into
five sections, each bearing a namep-
late and brief outline about highlights
of Jewish life in America during that
period. The five sections are: 1654-
1819: A Few Among the First Settlers;
1820-1880: Creating a Jewish
Presence; 1881-1919: A Community
wth Contrasts: The Established Ger-
mans and the East European Immig-
rants; 1920-1945: Americanization
Becomes Evident; and After 1946: In
the Mainstream.
One module features American
Jews who have excelled in the arts:
motion pictures, painting, sculpture,
writing, music, etc. Among those
photos one finds comedians Woody
Allen and Mel Brooks, sculptress
Louise Nevelson, director Jerome
Robbins, singer-actress-director
Barbra Streisand and opera star-
director Beverly Sills, among others.
Synagogue models created by De-
troiter Aid Kushner adorn the exhibit,
located in one of the main halls of the
historical museum.
Family scenes and celebrations
frequently appear among the paint-
ings and photographs. There also are
photos of advertisements for
synagogue services, businesses, plays
and other activities taking place in our
predecessor Jewish communities.
Some photographs depict cartoons,
while others bear Hebrew and Yiddish
inscriptions.
museum's History Mobile, a special
bus owned by the museum, has been
made available to groups wishing to
visit the exhibit.
Overseeing the coordination of
the exhibit for the museum is Donald
Softley, curator, industrial history.
During its Detroit stop, the
"Jewish Life in America" exhibit will
be joined at the museum by an exhibit
on the Catholic Church and by another
on black churches.
The exhibit will run through
April 29.
Hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed-
nesday through Sunday. For informa-
tion or to arrange a tour, call Leslie
Dickstein at the ADL office, 962-9686.
The Jewish presence in
America is depicted in these
portraits, advertisements
and posters.
•
This module bears
photographs of
contemporary Jewish
America — famous Jews in
the arts and sports, and
rallies in support of Israel.
Photos by Benyas-Kaufinan
Life in
•
Memorabilia from the Detroit
Jewish community's past are included
in the "Jewish Life in Michigan" por-
tion of the exhibit. Among these are
scenes of b'nai mitzvah of years past,
graduating Hebrew school classes,
charters of Jewish organizations and
photographs of notables in the Jewish
community.
Tours for children and organiza-
tions have been arranged, and the
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