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Jewish American Heritage Month at the Magnes
May 6, 2026
Above image: End the War with Food [detail] by Charles Edward Chambers, Rusling Wood, for United States Food Administration, New York, 1918. 75.225. Photo by Sibila Savage
This May, the Magnes proudly joins the nation in celebrating the 20th annual Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM). As one of the world’s preeminent collections of Jewish art and life, the Magnes is honoring the month by highlighting the diverse narratives, immigrant journeys, and artistic contributions that have shaped the American landscape for nearly four hundred years.
Beginning as the Judah L. Magnes Museum, one of the first Jewish museums in the United States, the Magnes was founded in Berkeley in 1962 by Seymour Fromer and his wife, Rebecca Camhi Fromer. Many of the Magnes holdings reflect generations of Jewish Americans who have woven their stories into the fabric of this country’s history, culture, and society.
Visitors and researchers are invited to explore the collection’s extensive holdings, which range from 18th-century ritual objects to artwork depicting the Jewish experience. Recent years have seen the integration of significant collections from world-renowned immigrant Jewish artists, including the intricate, politically charged miniatures of Arthur Szyk and the photography of Roman Vishniac. Much of the collection captures the trajectories of displacement, identity, and belief.
The celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month at the Magnes also extends across the University of California, Berkeley campus. The Western Jewish Americana Archives, housed at the Bancroft Library, is a cornerstone for those researching the history of Jewish immigration and community engagement in the San Francisco Bay Area dating back to the Gold Rush era.
After kicking off the month with the Jewish Arts & Bookfest on May 3, 2026, the Magnes will spotlight its American Jewish holdings and past programs on social media. The public is encouraged to engage with these stories online to foster a deeper understanding of the specific challenges and achievements of the American Jewish community.
Join the Magnes on Facebook and Instagram as we celebrate #JewishAmericanHeritageMonth and #OurSharedHeritage during the month of May.
A Conversation with Daniel Handler (A.K.A. Lemony Snicket)
The bestselling author Daniel Handler, known for penning the popular series of children’s novels A Series of Unfortunate Events spoke at the Magnes’ inaugural Jewish Arts & Bookfest.
In the keynote session shared In episode 226 of Berkeley Talks, Handler joined in a conversation with Chanan Tigay to discuss how his Jewish identity shapes his worldview and storytelling and where the name “Lemony Snicket” came from.
Torah Arks at the Magnes
Centered on three special Torah Arks in the Magnes Collection, the 3-part video series, Families in Motion, tells the story of community and migration across the Global Jewish Diaspora.
In celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month and created for all ages. All three Torah Arks can be seen in the current exhibition Time Capsules: Exploring the Permanent Collection.
Robert Tennenbaum and the Queen Mary
Home footage of two-year old Robert Tennenbaum and his family escaping Nazi Germany aboard the H.R.M.S Queen Mary. The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life holds the Torah Ark from the Queen Mary’s synagogue. Torah Ark by Cecil Jacob EprilEngland, c. 1935. 92.24.
Della Morrison and the Torah Ark of Rock Springs, Wyoming
A glimpse into the story of Della Morrison, who grew up in Rock Springs, Wyoming a hundred years ago. Della’s father made the portable Torah Ark their tiny Jewish community used to hold services. Portable Torah Ark by Louis M. Morrison. Rock Springs, WY, c. 1910. Gift of Melvin J. and Marilyn A. Weiss. 2013.5.1.
Sarah Cohen and the Kochi Torah Ark
A glimpse into the story of Sarah Cohen, one of the last Jews of Kochi, Kerala, India, and a grand Torah Ark from there. Torah Ark, Kochi, Kerala, India, 17th-18th century. Gift of the Jewish Community of Ernakulam, India, Bernard Kimmel Collection, 67.0.3a-z.
Highlights from the collection
Saved by the Bay
The stories of scholars, writers and artists – many of them Jewish, related to Jews, or political dissidents – who escaped the rise of Nazism and fascism in Europe in the 1930s and ‘40s and brought their talents and dreams with them to UC Berkeley.
Torah Ark from Rock Springs, Wyoming
The story behind the portable Torah Ark of Rock Springs, Wyoming built by Louis Morrison in the early 20th century and the small “basement” Congregation Beth Israel that used it.
Mezuzah at the Vice President’s Residence
A sterling silver mezuzah from the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life now hangs at the official Washington, DC residence of Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff.
The Undefeatable Legacy Behind the Magnes Collection
Beginning with a vision and a few objects on display, founders Seymour and Rebecca Fromer created what is now the third largest Jewish museum in the United States.
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