Author Archive
Eat, Darling, Eat: Stories of Moms & Meals
Nearly everyone’s got a story about moms and food. There are the glowing memories, about how your mother made the world’s best latkes or the town favorite chili. But there’s another side to that coin, too – maybe your mom was the worst cook in the world but set the best take-out table this side […]
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A secular, socialist, Yiddish newspaper walks into a synagogue….
The Museum’s exhibition Pressed: Images from the Jewish Daily Forward is the latest in a diverse lineup of shows displayed throughout our landmark building. How do these shows come to be? How do curators balance satisfying the Museum’s mission with a desire to push the envelope? I sat down with Museum at Eldridge Street exhibition […]
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The Wild, Weird History of a 50th Anniversary
This blog post was written by Museum intern Lila Norris. Tomorrow marks a very curious anniversary in Eldridge Street history. Eighty-five years ago, on December 28th, 1934, the Eldridge Street congregants held a big bash for the 50th anniversary of the synagogue. Except it wasn’t exactly the 50th anniversary. And arguably, the story of […]
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Tracing the “Jewish Journey” through Hanukiah Design
A version of this article was originally posted in December 2018 and was written by museum intern Parker Vaughn. We’re revisiting it today to celebrate Hanukkah 2019. The exhibition Lighting the World: Menorahs from around the Globe is on view through December 2019 and can be seen during all Museum hours. The Museum will host […]
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Spying Real-life Eldridge in a 1950s Drawing
A few months ago, way over in Germany, Friedrich Caesar was looking through old things stored in his basement. He came across a book of illustrations that he believes his father must have purchased while visiting New York City in the 1950s. Entitled New York, City on Many Waters the hardcover book (published in 1956) features illustrations […]
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A Very Lower East Side Gift Guide
Gift guides are everywhere this time of year. But we couldn’t resist mining the incredible Lower East Side to suggest some truly one-of-a-kind gifts. So we promise, there are no cufflinks in this list. These options have all the character, personality and versatility you’d expect from a neighborhood that’s been shifting, adapting, and growing for […]
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Papercutter Rachel Asarnow strives to make art with purpose, permanence
We’re revisiting this great interview, conducted by Jake Rosenberg in June 2019, in anticipation of Sunday, December 8th’s family art workshop Family Folk: Papercutting. In this interactive program, artist Rachel Asarnow will teach kids about the centuries-old Jewish folk art of papercutting. Then, using her intricate designs as inspiration, Asarnow will guides kids through creating their own […]
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On this day: First Kosher Butcher Opened by a Man of Many Firsts
This post was written by Museum intern Lila Norris. One of the most common questions we get from our visitors here at the museum is “Which deli is the best?” New Yorkers and tourists alike are always on the lookout for the best kosher (or kosher style, more typically) deli in the city, But it’s […]
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Coping with tragedy through song: balladry of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
On March 25th, 1911, a fire broke out on the factory floors of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. By the time the flames had been put out, 145 workers, mostly young immigrant girls, had perished. The tragedy sent shockwaves through the immigrant community and became a symbol of the rampant mistreatment of workers by factory owners […]
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Exhuming the Signage of the Long Lost ‘Garden Cafeteria’ on East Broadway
A version of this article originally appeared in Bowery Boogie. Visitors to the Museum at Eldridge Street will be treated to an extra dose of neighborhood nostalgia, now that a massive sign from the beloved Garden Cafeteria has been installed on its walls. The East Broadway restaurant was once a Lower East Side institution and for decades […]
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