The Jewish Museum of Maryland
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Museum of Maryland is located in Baltimore
, Maryland
, USA. The museum tells the story of the American Jewish
experience in the city of Baltimore and throughout the US state of Maryland.
The museum is one of the country's leading centers for exhibits on Jewish history
and culture. The museum has two galleries that host changing exhibits of local and national interest. The museum's collections include works of art, historical photographs, clothing, Jewish ceremonial art
, rare books, everyday objects, documents, oral histories, and memorabilia. The museum was founded in 1960.
The museum is the only museum in America with two historic synagogue
s, preserved and interpreted for the public. The first is the Lloyd Street Synagogue
, a Greek revival
design by architect Robert Cary Long, Jr.
which was finished in 1845. The second is the B'nai Israel Synagogue, which was designed in a modified Moorish revival
style by Henry Berge and finished in 1876. Both synagogues are situated in the heart of an historic Jewish neighborhood where they tell the stories of two great waves of Jewish immigrants to Baltimore, the second largest port of immigration
in the United States. In these restored synagogues you can explore a matzoh oven, mikvehs
(ritual baths), a magnificent hand-carved Torah Ark
, women's balconies
, and an active archaeology
dig.
B'nai Israel synagogue is an active Modern Orthodox
synagogue of 200 families with services every Shabbat
and Jewish Holy Day.
in the Inner Harbor. The museum is closed for Jewish festivals
and holy days: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur
, Sukkot
, Shemini Atzeret
, Simchat Torah
, first two and last two days of Passover
, and Shavuot
.
JMM Members: Free
Non-members: $8
Students: $4
Children under 12: $3
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA. The museum tells the story of the American Jewish
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
experience in the city of Baltimore and throughout the US state of Maryland.
The museum is one of the country's leading centers for exhibits on Jewish history
History of the Jews in the United States
The history of the Jews in the United States , has been part of the American national fabric since colonial times.Until the 1830s the Jewish community of Charleston, South Carolina was the most numerous in North America. With the large scale immigration of Jews from Germany in the 19th century,...
and culture. The museum has two galleries that host changing exhibits of local and national interest. The museum's collections include works of art, historical photographs, clothing, Jewish ceremonial art
Jewish ceremonial art
Jewish ceremonial art, also known as Judaica refers to an array of objects used by Jews for ritual purposes. Because enhancing a mitzvah by performing it with an especially beautiful object is considered a praiseworthy way of honoring God's commandments, Judaism has a long tradition of...
, rare books, everyday objects, documents, oral histories, and memorabilia. The museum was founded in 1960.
The museum is the only museum in America with two historic synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s, preserved and interpreted for the public. The first is the Lloyd Street Synagogue
Lloyd Street Synagogue
The Lloyd Street Synagogue is an 1845, Greek Revival style synagogue building in Baltimore, Maryland. One of the oldest synagogues in the United States, Lloyd Street was the first synagogue building erected in Maryland and is the third oldest synagogue building still standing in the United States...
, a Greek revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
design by architect Robert Cary Long, Jr.
Robert Cary Long, Jr.
Robert Cary Long, Jr. was a nineteenth century architect who practiced in Baltimore. His works in the city included St. Peter the Apostle Church, the Lloyd Street Synagogue, and the Baltimore American Building.-See also:*List of architects...
which was finished in 1845. The second is the B'nai Israel Synagogue, which was designed in a modified Moorish revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
style by Henry Berge and finished in 1876. Both synagogues are situated in the heart of an historic Jewish neighborhood where they tell the stories of two great waves of Jewish immigrants to Baltimore, the second largest port of immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
in the United States. In these restored synagogues you can explore a matzoh oven, mikvehs
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
(ritual baths), a magnificent hand-carved Torah Ark
Ark (synagogue)
The Torah ark or ark in a synagogue is known in Hebrew as the Aron Kodesh by the Ashkenazim and as the Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. It is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls...
, women's balconies
Mechitza
A mechitza in Jewish Halakha is a partition, particularly one that is used to separate men and women....
, and an active archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
dig.
B'nai Israel synagogue is an active Modern Orthodox
Modern Orthodox Judaism
Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
synagogue of 200 families with services every Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and Jewish Holy Day.
Location
The Jewish Museum of Maryland is located at 15 Lloyd Street in Baltimore and is a 10-minute walk from the National AquariumNational Aquarium in Baltimore
The National Aquarium, Baltimore is a public aquarium located at 501 E Pratt St. in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was constructed during Baltimore's urban renewal period and opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million and a collection of...
in the Inner Harbor. The museum is closed for Jewish festivals
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
and holy days: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
, Sukkot
Sukkot
Sukkot is a Biblical holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei . It is one of the three biblically mandated festivals Shalosh regalim on which Hebrews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.The holiday lasts seven days...
, Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah...
, Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
, first two and last two days of Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
, and Shavuot
Shavuot
The festival of is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan ....
.
Admission fees
Admission prices listed in February, 2010:JMM Members: Free
Non-members: $8
Students: $4
Children under 12: $3