Smithsonian - The Weitzman
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Thank you for sharing our vision to make the varied and vibrant stories of American Jewish life part of the Smithsonian Institution!
We must continue our critical work of teaching the true, joyful, and powerful stories of Jewish life in American as an antidote to antisemitism. Your support makes that possible—please make a gift today.
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Photograph of Wetizman Museum postcard
taken in front of the Smithsonian Institution
Building, also called the “Castle,” located on the
National Mall in Washington D.C.
December 11, 2024 Update
Today, the
President of the United States signed H.R. 7764 into law
. H.R. 7764, the “Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act,” establishes a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution. The Commission will be formed in the next 90 days.
December 4, 2024 Update
Last night, the bill was passed in the Senate. The President is expected to sign it into law in the coming days. We are immensely grateful for all of your support in encouraging your Members of Congress to endorse this legislation and for bringing America one step closer to having a Smithsonian museum for American Jewish history, heritage, and culture .
Many of you have asked how you can help in the meantime.
Here are a few simple things you can do right now:
Show your support for The Weitzman
—help ensure that as the commission explores the feasibility of our transfer to the Smithsonian, that they find a vibrant and vital organization with a
robust membership
from coast to coast, online
program attendees
from across the country, thousands of
school students
through our doors, and teachers from around the country participating in our
educator professional development
. Anything you can do to
join in
donate
, and spread the word will make a difference.
September 25, 2024 Update
This week, the bill was passed in the House, paving the way for a vote on the floor of the Senate, which we hope will happen in the coming weeks. Learn more here:
House approves bill to study making US Jewish history museum part of the Smithsonian – (jta.org)
You can also
listen to the inspiring remarks of several U.S. Representatives
, courtesy of C-SPAN, as the legislation is introduced for a vote on the floor of the House in the 13-minute clip below.
“With antisemitism skyrocketing, acknowledging the past and acting to build a better tomorrow is more critical than ever. It will take a whole-of-society effort to do this, and folding the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History into the Smithsonian is one step toward that goal.
We must uplift Jewish stories and raise awareness of the contributions of Jewish Americans throughout our nation’s history, which The Weitzman does every day.
” –Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
About the Smithsonian initiative
A bipartisan, bicameral coalition in the U.S. Congress is championing an effort to establish a Smithsonian museum dedicated to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience.
Introduced in the House by U.S. Representative
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
(FL-25), and co-led by U.S. Representatives
Mike Turner
(OH-10),
Brendan Boyle
(PA-02) and
Max Miller
(OH-07), and led in the Senate by U.S. Senators
Bob Casey
(D-PA) and
Susan Collins
(R-ME),
S.4001
H.R.7764
“Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act,” will create a Commission of Inquiry led by eight individuals with relevant expertise to study the
feasibility of transferring the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia to the Smithsonian Institution.
Original co-sponsors in the Senate include Senators
Mike Crapo
(R-ID),
John Fetterman
(D-PA), and
Jacky Rosen
(D-NV).
The impressive list of bipartisan co-sponsors includes:
H.R.7764
Rep. Joseph Morelle
(D-NY-25)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon
(D-PA-5)
Rep. Josh Gottheimer
(D-NJ-5)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick
(R-PA-1)
Rep. Randy Weber
(R-TX-14)
Rep. Ritchie Torres
(D-NY-15)
Rep. Bill Pascrell
(D-NJ-9)
Rep. Juan Vargas
(D-CA-52)
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis
(R-NY-11)
Rep.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
(R-WA-5)
Rep. Daniel S. Goldman
(D-NY-10)
Rep. Donald Norcross
(D-NJ-1)
Rep.
Don Bacon
(R-NE-2)
Rep. Michael Lawler
(R-NY-17)
Rep.
W. Gregory Steube
(R-FL-17)
Rep.
Andrew R. Garbarino
(R-NY-2)
Rep.
Susan Wild
(D-PA-7)
Rep.
Bonnie Watson Coleman
(D-NJ-12)
Rep.
Mario Diaz-Balart
(R-FL-26)
Rep. Thomas Kean
(R-NJ-7)
Rep. Don Davis
(D-NC-1)
Rep. Haley M. Stevens
(D-MI-11)
Rep. David Kustoff
(R-TN-8)
Rep. Claudia Tenney
(R-NY-24)
Rep. Rudy Yakym
(R-IN-2)
Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup
(R-OH-2)
Rep. Juan Ciscomani
(R-AZ-6)
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer
(R-OR-5)
Rep. Lois Frankel
(D-FL-22)
Rep. Nikema Williams
(D-GA-5)
Rep. Bradley Scott Schneider
(D-IL-10)
Rep. Henry Cuellar
(D-TX-28)
Rep. Jonathan L. Jackson
(D-IL-1)
Rep. Chuck Edwards
(R-NC-11)
Rep. Kathy E. Manning
(D-NC-6)
Rep. Tony Cárdenas
(D-CA-29)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
(R-IA-1)
Rep. Marc A.Veasey
(D-TX-33)
Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis
(R-FL-12)
Rep. Neal P. Dunn
(R-FL-2)
Rep. Mike Flood
(R-NE-1)
Rep. Derek Kilmer
(D-WA-6)
Rep. A. Drew Ferguson
(R-GA-3)
Rep. John H. Rutherford
(R-FL-5)
Rep. Julia Brownley
(D-CA-26)
Rep. Al Green
(D-TX-9)
Rep. Tracey Mann
(R-KS-1)
Rep. Brittany Pettersen
(D-CO-7)
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito
(R-NY-4)
Rep. Seth Moulton
(D-MA-6)
Rep. Katie Porter
(D-CA-47)
Rep. David J. Trone
(D-MD-6)
Rep. Judy Chu
(D-CA-28)
Rep. Brad Sherman
(D-CA-32)
Rep. Darren Soto
(D-FL-9)
Rep. Terri A. Sewell
(D-AL-7)
Rep. Charles J. “Chuck” Fleischmann
(R-TN-3)
Rep. Elise M. Stefanik
(R-NY-21)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett
(D-TX-37)
Rep. Patrick Ryan
(D-NY-18)
Rep. Nick LaLota
(R-NY-1)
Rep. John R. Curtis
(R-UT-3)
Rep. Andrea Salinas
(D-OR-6)
Rep. Jasmine Crockett
(D-TX-30)
Rep. Frank Pallone
(D-NJ-6)
Rep. Young Kim
(R-CA-40)
Rep. Greg Landsman
(D-OH-1)
Rep. Eric Sorensen
(D-IL-17)
Rep. Salud O. Carbajal
(D-CA-24)
Rep. Doug LaMalfa
(R-CA-1)
Rep. C. Scott Franklin
(R-FL-18)
Rep. Marcus J. Molinaro
(R-NY-19)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici
(D-OR-1)
Rep. David G. Valadao
(R-CA-22)
Rep. Larry Bucshon
(R-IN-8)
Rep. Mike Levin
(D-CA-49)
Rep. Dan Crenshaw
(R-TX-2)
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
(D-CA-10)
Rep. Jefferson Van Drew
(R-NJ-2)
Rep. Jeff Jackson
(D-NC-14)
Rep. Norma J. Torres
(D-CA-35)
Rep. Darin LaHood
(R-IL-16)
Rep. Ruben Gallego
(D-AZ-3)
Rep. Dina Titus
(D-NV-1)
Rep. Christopher R. Deluzio
(D-PA-17)
Rep. Andy Kim
(D-NJ-3)
Rep. Jennifer L. McClellan
(D-VA-4)
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez
(D-CA-38)
Rep. Monica De La Cruz
(R-TX-15)
Rep. Barry Loudermil
k (R-GA-11)
Rep. Adam B. Schiff
(D-CA-30)
S.4001
Sen. Tim Scott
(R-SC)
Sen. Marco Rubio
(R-FL)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal
(D-CT)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
(D-MA)
Sen. Tom Cotton
(R-AR)
Sen. Rick Scott
(R-FL)
Sen. Robert Menendez
(D-NJ)
Sen. Christopher A. Coons
(D-DE)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
(D-RI)
Read the
press release
to learn more about this exciting development.
More about the Weitzman’s Work
The Weitzman’s educational programming
The through-line of our work lies at the intersection of Jewish values and American ideals, unleashing the power of education as a potent antidote to antisemitism.
Click here
to learn more about our educational offerings.
Making an Impact
Read our
2024 Education Impact Report
Watch
these short videos
to hear from our education and programs staff about how our work builds empathy and counters antisemitism.
Tax-advantaged, educationally focused giving
Do you pay individual or business taxes in Pennsylvania? The Weitzman is an accredited Educational Improvement Organization—your tax credits can support our educational work.
Click here
to learn more.
Other ways to give
There are many ways to support The Weitzman: Membership, 1654 Society, or an annual fund donation can be made through your IRA designation, a donor-advised fund (DAF), or a cash gift.
For any gift you make, be sure to look up your current or former employer in our search feature to find out if they will match your gift, doubling your impact at no additional cost to you.
Click here
to learn more or contact Chief Development Officer Jackie Glodstein with any questions at
jglodstein@theweitzman.org
or 215.391.4645.
HAPPY PASSOVER
The Museum and Store will be open Friday,
Apr
il
3, through Tuesday,
Apr
il
7.
We look forward to seeing you.
Image:
The Weitzman, 1991.1717. “Downtown Hebrew Day Nursery Kids have Seder,” Philadelphia, Passover, 1951
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