The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art & Life

The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art & Life www.magnes.berkeley.edu

Free admission to exhibitions & programs. Magnes Museum to the University of California, Berkeley.

The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life was established in 2010 following the transfer of the Judah L. Its remarkably diverse archive, library, and museum holdings include art, objects, texts, music, and historical documents about the Jews in the Global Diaspora and the American West. As one of the world's preeminent Jewish collections in a university setting, it provides highly innovative an

d accessible resources to both researchers and the general public. The holdings of The Magnes continue to grow. In 2017, The Magnes established the Taube Family Arthur Szyk Collection, and in 2018 received the gift of the Roman Vishniac Archive. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/magnesmuseum

Happy World Bicycle Day! 🚴🏻‍♂️ 🚴 🚴‍♀️ Williamsburg Postcard Co, NY. Printed in Germany. Gift of Solomon L. Gluck ...
06/03/2026

Happy World Bicycle Day! 🚴🏻‍♂️ 🚴 🚴‍♀️



Williamsburg Postcard Co, NY. Printed in Germany. Gift of Solomon L. Gluck 73-43-75

Curious about what punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate? In the latest episode of Berkeley Talks, film dir...
06/02/2026

Curious about what punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate? In the latest episode of Berkeley Talks, film director Jacob Kornbluth, civil rights strategist Eric K. Ward, and activist Dion Garcia explore how the tactics of 1980s West Coast movements offer a vital blueprint for countering antisemitism and modern political polarization. The conversation was featured during The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art & Life's 2026 Jewish Arts and Bookfest at UC Berkeley. Special thanks to Reboot.

🎧 Listen, read the transcript, or watch the video >> https://news.berkeley.edu/2026/05/29/berkeley-talks-what-punk-subcultures-can-teach-us-about-resisting-hate/

Installed at the official Washington, DC residence of former Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas E...
05/31/2026

Installed at the official Washington, DC residence of former Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff from September 2022 to January, 2025, this sterling silver mezuzah is a rare example of a ritual object steeped in Jewish American history, having touched the lives of several women in service.

The Mezuzah was gifted to immigrant, World War II US Women's Army Corps veteran, and Israeli Embassy translator Alice Grossman by Yitzhak Rabin's wife, Leah Rabin, the day after he became the 5th Prime Minister of Israel in 1974.

Grossman and the mezuzah made their way to San Francisco, where, years later, Harris would get her political start.

.ucberkeley


Mezuzah case and scroll, gift of Leah Rabin (1928-2000) to Alice Grossman (1909-2007), Israel, 1974. Gift of Molly Grossman 2008.23.1

As Jewish American Heritage Month comes to a close, we share this photo by Neil Foldberg of the Kleinman family making H...
05/30/2026

As Jewish American Heritage Month comes to a close, we share this photo by Neil Foldberg of the Kleinman family making Havadalah as they mark the end of Shabbat and usher in the new week.



https://bit.ly/3RVcgp7 "Kleinman family making Havdalah; Brooklyn, New York 1974" from Portfolio One: We Are Thy People, by Neil Folberg, Berkeley, CA, 1975. Gift of Beverlee French, 2008.8.1.6

In 1996, J. The Jewish News of Northern California, then known as The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, commemorat...
05/30/2026

In 1996, J. The Jewish News of Northern California, then known as The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California, commemorated a full century of Jewish journalism in the Bay Area with "Published Every Friday: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Jewish Bulletin," an exhibition at the Judah L. Magnes Museum.

The exhibition, open from July 28 to November 24, 1996, transformed thousands of pages of the publication's copy into a comprehensive visual timeline highlighting changes in Bay Area Judaism and the vital role of the press. Visitors were invited to use notebooks in the reading room to record their own memories, family histories, and personal ties to the stories featured in the issues on display.

The J was first published in San Francisco in 1895 by Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger of Congregation Emanu-El. With the "History is Calling" event in March at the Magnes, the J celebrated 130 years this year with more memories and family histories shared!



https://bit.ly/4nUlL3L The Jewish Bulletin of Northern California. Celebration of 100 years of Jewish Journalism (1896-1996). San Francisco, California, 1996. Offset lithograph. Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund memorabilia 2012.16.1

Join us tomorrow for an introductory user training session and learn all about Maven, the new digital collections catalo...
05/27/2026

Join us tomorrow for an introductory user training session and learn all about Maven, the new digital collections catalog at the Magnes!

Developed by Terentia—a leader in next-generation integrated collections management and digital asset management software—this platform provides improved access to the diverse collection of Jewish material culture at the Magnes.

Whether you are a scholar conducting research, a student writing a paper, or a visitor exploring Jewish ritual objects from across the diaspora, Maven offers a seamless online experience.

In person this Thursday, May 28 from 3:00–4:00 pm

🧑‍💻 Bring your own device!

Learn more and RSVP for the training at https://bit.ly/4uEqA3U

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UC Berkeley Library Center for Jewish Studies GTU Center for Jewish Studies UC Berkeley

🇺🇸 This Memorial Day, as we honor the brave service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, we also celebrate Jewish Am...
05/25/2026

🇺🇸 This Memorial Day, as we honor the brave service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, we also celebrate Jewish Americans who have shaped and defended our nation.

For decades, World Over served as a cultural handbook for young readers, bringing together Jewish life and American national identity. It helped a generation of children navigate major global events—including the aftermath of WWII and the Korean conflict—while teaching them what it meant to be fully Jewish and fully American. Art Director Ezekiel Schloss’ iconic cover art is a reminder of this enduring intercultural dialogue.



Untitled, vol. 5, no. 7, Jewish Education Committee, January 21, 1944. 2017.7_2

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we’re honoring Arthur Szyk (1894–1951)—a self-described "soldier in art" who used h...
05/22/2026

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we’re honoring Arthur Szyk (1894–1951)—a self-described "soldier in art" who used his illustrations to fight for the Jewish people and global democracy.

As a renowned political cartoonist, Szyk’s weapon was his art. In this 1941 drawing, the artist critiques American isolationism by depicting a figure bound by a chain tagged "Neutrality Act"—the 1930s legislation that kept the U.S. from entering WWII. In the background, a U.S. destroyer sinks after being torpedoed by a German U-boat on October 31, 1941. This attack shattered the illusion of neutrality, serving as the ultimate turning point that led Congress to repeal the acts just days later on November 13, 1941—a historic shift Szyk captured in real-time.

Szyk’s legacy reminds us how Jewish American artists have shaped the global fight for justice and human rights.



https://bit.ly/49X6lG7 Untitled [Seated Navy Soldier] by Arthur Szyk, New York, 1941. Ink and graphite on paper. The Taube Family Arthur Szyk Collection 2017.5.1.52

Preserve the Past. Inspire the Future. Support the Magnes! The Magnes is a museum and research center with one of the wo...
05/22/2026

Preserve the Past. Inspire the Future. Support the Magnes!

The Magnes is a museum and research center with one of the world’s preeminent collections of Jewish art and life—but we can’t bring to light the stories told through the collection without you.

From student research opportunities and curatorial scholarship to public programming and the preservation of Jewish art and material culture, your generosity makes everything we do possible.

Every gift helps us keep our collections accessible to students, researchers, and the public alike. By contributing today, you are ensuring that Jewish art, history, and culture continue to educate and inspire future generations.

Be a part of the Magnes. Make a gift today! đź”— Give now at https://bit.ly/3RcqT7k

05/19/2026

In Rock Springs, Wyoming, Della Morrison's father built a portable Torah Ark for the tight-knit Jewish community they were a part of. Without a synagogue, services were held in the congregation's family homes.

This is Della's story.

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