The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience MSJE explores how the South changed Jews and how Jews changed the South.

Many people, including Southern Jews, don't know that the Jewish South once boasted a Yiddish theater scene. But Yiddish...
05/28/2026

Many people, including Southern Jews, don't know that the Jewish South once boasted a Yiddish theater scene. But Yiddish-language plays were just one of many cultural goings-on at the Menorah Institute, which was dedicated a century ago, very close to where MSJE stands today. While the Institute is no longer, the associated Beth Israel Congregation continues to operate in a new building.

Between May 27th and June 1st, servicemembers and veterans can visit MSJE's galleries for free. New Orleans has been sel...
05/28/2026

Between May 27th and June 1st, servicemembers and veterans can visit MSJE's galleries for free. New Orleans has been selected as the inaugural host city for Sail 250, a flagship event commemorating the 250th anniversary of America's founding, and over 2,000 servicemembers will be sailing into the Port of New Orleans aboard 7 international vessels.

If you're a servicemember or veteran and you'd like to visit MSJE during this period, just mention Sail 250 at our front desk.

Five years ago today, we opened the new Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, in New Orleans. Since then, we’ve been...
05/27/2026

Five years ago today, we opened the new Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, in New Orleans. Since then, we’ve been named a “Top 10 New Attraction” by USA Today and won regional and national museum awards for our exhibits. But most importantly, we’ve welcomed more than 50,000 visitors from around the world to share our Southern Jewish stories and gain new appreciation for identity, diversity, and acceptance.

Here is our executive director Kenneth Hoffman and board chair Jay Tanenbaum on that opening day in 2021 holding the 1986 groundbreaking shovel for the original MSJE at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, in Utica, MS.

Past, present, and future – our stories are worth holding onto.

Today is Memorial Day, Today we remember Private Louis Goldstein, who was born in Memphis in 1898, grew up in Sheffield,...
05/25/2026

Today is Memorial Day, Today we remember Private Louis Goldstein, who was born in Memphis in 1898, grew up in Sheffield, Alabama, and was killed by German machine gun fire on the morning of May 28, 1918, in the opening moments of the Battle of Cantigny, France, during the First World War.

Louis was the son of Polish and Russian immigrant parents. He joined the Army in 1916 and ultimately was assigned to the 28th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Division – the Big Red One. Cantigny was the first major U.S. offensive of the war.

In a letter to Louis’s father Sam Goldstein, Lt. Ernest Rosenberg wrote, “Shortly after the battle, my regiment went into line. Just back of my trench lay the body of your brave son. An expression of absolute peace and duty well done was upon his face. I had him buried near where he fell and said an ancient Hebrew prayer over his grave.”

You can now view a virtual version of our 2024/2025 special exhibition, “Greetings from Main Street: Southern Jewish Pos...
05/24/2026

You can now view a virtual version of our 2024/2025 special exhibition, “Greetings from Main Street: Southern Jewish Postcards from Our Collection," on the MSJE website! Click the link to see postcards and informational texts, depicting everything from small-town general stores to big-city department stores to beachside resorts. https://www.msje.org/virtual/virtual-exhibit-1

05/23/2026

How does a sushi chef come to run a Jewish deli? Find out when you watch the full-length recording of our knish-making workshop with Southern Jewish sushi chef and deli owner Marisa Baggett. You can find the video (along with recordings of many other MSJE programs) here: https://www.msje.org/past-public-programs

Shabbat Shalom, and happy Shavuot! Here in the South, the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the Jews' receiving the T...
05/22/2026

Shabbat Shalom, and happy Shavuot! Here in the South, the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the Jews' receiving the Torah, is often an occasion for Confirmation ceremonies. So, in lieu of our regular Shabbat post, we're sharing these confirmation artifacts from our collection. The first is a 1960 Confirmation and Shavuot program from Congregation House of Israel in Hot Springs, Arkansas (Stone Family Collection), while the second is a 1919 photograph of a Confirmation class at Temple B'nai Zion in Shreveport, LA (Gamm Family Collection).

Have a peaceful Shabbat and a joyful Shavuot!

On this day exactly 110 years ago, the Jewish community of El Paso dedicated a new building for Mt. Sinai Temple. The sy...
05/21/2026

On this day exactly 110 years ago, the Jewish community of El Paso dedicated a new building for Mt. Sinai Temple. The synagogue was founded in 1898, then moved to the new building pictured here in 1916.

Find more Southern Jewish facts, behind-the-scenes videos, essays on Southern Jewish history, and much more in our monthly newsletter, "The Southern Shmooze." Sign up on our website: https://www.msje.org/

Not an MSJE member? Become one before June 4th, and then sign in to our first-ever virtual members-only program. At "Voi...
05/20/2026

Not an MSJE member? Become one before June 4th, and then sign in to our first-ever virtual members-only program. At "Voices for Justice," we'll use primary sources from the MSJE archive, along with Jewish texts, to understand and discuss Southern Jewish responses to Civil Rights. Click the link to learn more about this program, then email [email protected] to register or to become an MSJE member.

Pride Month is fast approaching, and so is this educational, entertaining talk by Golan Moskowitz, Associate Professor o...
05/20/2026

Pride Month is fast approaching, and so is this educational, entertaining talk by Golan Moskowitz, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Tulane. Moskowitz speak about Mickey Gil, an essential Jewish figure in the local gay Mardi Gras scene. This talk is co-sponsored by JPNOLA and the Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience at Tulane. It will take place on June 11th at 6:00 PM CT, both in-person at MSJE and virtually. Register at the link: https://buff.ly/0qf9v8j

Address

818 Howard Avenue
New Orleans, LA
70113

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+15043842480

Website

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