Virtual Art Tour

The East Valley JCC presents a series of live virtual private-guided tours of the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot, located in Tel Aviv. Below are the four tours. Cost is $25 for the series or $7 per tour. 

Wednesday, Aug. 26 | 10 a.m.
Hallelujah! Assemble, Pray, Study – Synagogues Past and Present

What stories do synagogues tell? On this tour, we will explore synagogues from Syria, Poland, the USA, Curacao, Holland and more to discover the unique identities of Jews that pray (or prayed) there, as well as show commonalities. This gallery, based on the famous collection of Beit Hatfutsot’s synagogue models, showcases how these structures act not only as prayer spaces, but as community centers. We will engage participants to reflect on their own Jewish spaces and ask: what does it say about my personal Jewish story?

Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 10 a.m.
Let There Be Laughter: Jewish Humor

Am Yisrael HA! What makes Jews so funny?  And how did “The People of the Book” turn out to be superstar writers, producers and comedians? On this tour, we will take a lighthearted look at the origins of Jewish humor and the major contributions of Jews to the rise of a global industry. We will celebrate the diversity and vitality of Jewish humor, and explore how elements of Jewish joking have remained constant regardless of time, place, and language.

Wednesday, Nov. 18 | 10 a.m.
American Jews

The story of Jews in the United States is one of diversity, contribution, and triumph. This tour will focus on the social, cultural and religious history of Jewish Americans, analyzing the significance of both the Touro Synagogue (1763), and Seinfeld (1990s), with everything in between.  We will ask the questions, “What role does my American identity play in my Jewish identity? And vise versa? Is it possible to separate the two?” We will also emphasize the globosity of the Jewish experience by comparing and contrasting American Jewish tradition with that of other communities around the world.

Wednesday, Dec. 16 | 10 a.m.
Jewish Arts + Culture

The story of the Jewish people has been beautifully told through art, literature and architecture for centuries. Creative outlets have allowed Jews to express their beliefs, transmit collective histories to the next generation, and process the harsh realities of anti-Semitism. In this tour, we will look at different platforms of Jewish art and culture, including synagogue art from the Persian Empire, the humorous writings of Sholem Aleichem, and Israeli Purim masks from the Gulf War.