Crisco to the Rescue: Marketing to American Jews
In the 1930s, one American brand boldly declared that they had delivered something “the Hebrew race has been waiting 4,000” for – Crisco. Yes! Finally, Proctor and Gamble was giving Jewish kitchens an all-vegetable cooking fat that could be used in kosher cooking of any kind. They were likely right that kosher cooks would benefit […]
Continue Reading
At Eldridge Street, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing
This blog post is adapted from a piece originally written in February 2018. It doesn’t need to be Valentine’s Day for us to feel love in the air at the Museum at Eldridge Street. Our 133-year-old landmark building inspires effusive language from anyone who visits – and who could blame them? The sanctuary’s sumptuous decorative […]
Continue Reading
Pickles, Podcasts & Pizza: Valentine’s Gifts from the LES
Next week is Valentine’s Day, and whether you celebrate with a romantic partner or your best pals (that’d be Palentine’s Day), you might want a gift to elicit warm & fuzzy feelings. So we’re reposting this neighborhood guide that we originally shared during the Hanukkah/Christmas season. Only fun NYC options here! These gifts have all […]
Continue Reading
The irreplaceable items lost in Museum of Chinese in America’s fire
You may have heard that last week, a fire broke out at 70 Mulberry Street. The building was owned by the city and was home to many community centers – a dance center, a senior citizens center, an athletics organization, and a job training center. But 70 Mulberry was also the first home of the […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
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 […]
Continue Reading
