The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center continues to present quality educational and cultural arts programming to celebrate and highlight the Jewish legacy and contribution to Tidewater.
Sunday, March 3, concluded the successful 2012-2013 lecture series: A Minority in the Midst of Conflict: Jewish Experiences During the Civil War in Virginia; with insights to the play The Whipping Man, by Matthew Lopez, which was performed at the Virginia Stage Company’s Wells Theater.
Rabbi Michael Panitz, and directors, Jasson Minadakis and Chris Hanna led an interactive discussion and brought educational understanding to the play’s controversial and compelling themes. The play is set immediately after the end of Civil War when the returning, wounded Jewish soldier, Caleb, is reunited with two former slaves in his Richmond home. In this turbulent time of change, the audience watches as they join together to celebrate the Passover Seder and rely on their Judaism to begin their new journey in life.
Throughout the year, various speakers contribute to the museum’s fall-winter lecture series and professional musicians perform in its much anticipated summer music series, Wonderful Wednesdays.
Movies with Jewish themes are shown at the museum, with Rabbi Arthur Steinberg and Dr. Andrew Quicke adding their expertise and knowledge to the program, bringing their analysis and narratives on the featured film. Ongoing and special events are posted at: www.jewishmuseumportsmouth. org.