The National Museum of American Jewish History is excited to announce a full schedule of programming this March.
As the centerpiece of our season, held in conjunction with the continuing special exhibition
Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges, the Museum will be presenting Freedom Seder Revisited - a multi-cultural celebration of freedom. Presented with Operation Understanding, Freedom Seder will feature speakers from the local community and leader of the original 1969 Freedom Seder, Rabbi Arthur Waskow.
Freedom Seder Revisited
Thursday, March 28 - 6:30 p.m.
$15/$10 Members
At the Museum
April 4, 1969, was the first anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was also the third night of Passover, the Jewish holiday that commemorates the story of the Exodus in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. At the intersection of these two events in 1969, hundreds of people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds gathered in a church in the heart of Washington, D.C. to celebrate freedom.
For the first time, the ancient Jewish story of liberation was intertwined with a current struggle for liberation: Black America’s fight for equal rights. This monumental event is now known as the original Freedom Seder. Jews around the world are told they must teach the Passover story to their children, to the next generation. In 1969, leaders interpreted that message in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. They brought together a group of people from all backgrounds to celebrate a common desire and right: freedom.
How do current generations relate to the freedom experiences of their predecessors? What does freedom mean to them? What stories would they share? Join us for an evening of commemoration, stories, and a multi-cultural celebration of freedom.
Confirmed speakers to date include:
- Rev. Alfred T. Day, III, Pastor, Historic St. Georges United Methodist Church
- Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D., 52nd Pastor, Mother Bethel AME Church
- Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Founder and Director, The Shalom Center; Leader and author of the original 1969 Freedom Seder
Presented with Operation Understanding. This program has been supported in part by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, the Federal-State Partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
In partnership with the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts and in conjunction with the special exhibition Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges.
Current Exhibitions:
Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugees at Black Colleges
Through June 9, 2013
This exhibition shows how Jewish refugees and African-American students navigated the challenges of life in the segregated south and supported one another as they searched for freedom and opportunity, efforts that informed and inspired the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.
Jewish Artists in America 1925-1945: Selections from the Collection of Steven and Stephanie Wasser
Through June 30, 2013
Featuring 21 paintings and prints, the exhibition includes works by American Jewish artists who participated in the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and 1940s.
The Museum will be closed on the first day of Passover – Tuesday, March 26.
The National Museum of American Jewish History, located on historic Independence Mall in Philadelphia, brings to life the 350-year history of Jews in America. Tracing the stories of how Jewish immigrants became Jewish Americans, the Museum invites visitors of all heritages to share their own stories and reflect on how their histories and identities shape and are shaped by the American experience. An open door for all, NMAJH honors the past and contributes to a better future by sharing the power of imagination and ideas, culture and community, leadership and service, in ways that turn inspiration into action.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, February 26th 2013 at 2:19PM
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