Center for Jewish History

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The Center for Jewish History in New York City illuminates history, culture and heritage. The Center provides a collaborative home for five partner organizations: American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. The partners’ archives comprise the world’s largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel. The collections span a thousand years, with more than five miles of archival documents (in dozens of languages and alphabet systems), more than 500,000 volumes, as well as thousands of artworks, textiles, ritual objects, recordings, films and photographs.

10/16/2026

On October 16, 1943, N**i forces raided Rome’s Jewish community, arresting 1,259 people, including women and children.

Weeks earlier, the community had been told that 50 kilograms of gold would spare them from deportation. They paid. The N**is came anyway.

Two days later, 1,022 Jews were deported to Auschwitz. Only 16 survived.

In this episode, CJH President Gavriel Rosenfeld recounts the roundup of Rome’s Jews and the devastating consequences of that October morning.

We remember the victims and honor the memory of those who never returned.

On This Day: October 15, 1946: N**i Officer Hermann Göring Commits Su***deOn October 15, 1946, Hermann Göring, commander...
10/15/2026

On This Day: October 15, 1946: N**i Officer Hermann Göring Commits Su***de

On October 15, 1946, Hermann Göring, commander in chief of the Luftwaffe and Adolf Hitler's designated successor, died by su***de hours before his scheduled ex*****on.

An early member of the N**i Party, Göring helped consolidate N**i power and played a role in establishing concentration camps for political opponents. Following the November 1938 Kristallnacht pogrom, he directed measures to remove Jews from the German economy and confiscate Jewish-owned businesses and property.

After Germany's surrender, Göring was captured by American forces and tried at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg. He was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. Before the sentence could be carried out, he swallowed a cyanide capsule he had concealed from his guards.

Göring's death came on the eve of the ex*****ons of other leading N**i defendants convicted at Nuremberg.

If you'd like to learn more about the Nuremberg Trials, join our program on November 2nd, titled "Truth on Trial: 80 Years After Nuremberg."

Link below:

https://programs.cjh.org

Born on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, New York, Ralph Lauren was named Ralph Lifsh*tz by Jewish immigrant parents from...
10/14/2026

Born on October 14, 1939, in the Bronx, New York, Ralph Lauren was named Ralph Lifsh*tz by Jewish immigrant parents from Belarus. He would go on to build one of the most recognizable fashion brands in the world, transforming classic American style into an international symbol of timeless elegance.

From his early days selling ties to establishing the Ralph Lauren Corporation, his career has been shaped by a distinctive vision of American fashion, drawing inspiration from tradition, heritage, and aspiration.

From Ralph Lifsh*tz to Ralph Lauren, his story is also a reminder of the many ways Jewish Americans have helped shape American culture.

Four reasons to be at the Center for Jewish History this fall đź“šExceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and Free Speech in Ameri...
10/13/2026

Four reasons to be at the Center for Jewish History this fall đź“š

Exceptional Hatred: Antisemitism and Free Speech in America, Past and Present
🗓️ Wed, Oct 21 | 7:00 PM ET
Historian James Loeffler and New Yorker staff writer Emma Green on antisemitism, free speech, and American democracy.

Truth on Trial: 80 Years After Nuremberg
🗓️ Mon, Nov 2 | 7:00 PM ET
Natalie Livingstone, author of The Nuremberg Women, and journalist Nadav Eyal on justice after the Holocaust and its legacy today. Moderated by CJH President Gavriel Rosenfeld. Book signing and reception to follow.

Jews and American Democracy: 250 Years of Debate
🗓️ Sun, Nov 8 | 10:00 AM ET
A full-day symposium marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with four panels on American Jewish political traditions, antisemitism, foreign policy, and the future of American Jewish history.

Delivering Knowledge: Jewish Midwives in Early Modern Europe
🗓️ Wed, Nov 11 | 7:00 PM ET
Author Jordan Katz and moderator Iris Idelson-Shein on what midwives’ lives reveal about women’s healing and Jewish communal life. Pay what you wish.

đź“Ť Register for all four through the link below:

https://programs.cjh.org

Join Our Team at the Center for Jewish History!Passionate about Jewish history, culture, and preserving the stories that...
10/11/2026

Join Our Team at the Center for Jewish History!

Passionate about Jewish history, culture, and preserving the stories that shape our collective heritage? We’d love to hear from you!

Explore career opportunities at the Center for Jewish History and become part of a team dedicated to preserving the past and inspiring the future.

đź”— Learn more and apply through the link below:

https://www.cjh.org/about/employment-opportunities

As Banned Books Week comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the importance of keeping difficult stories within reach.Don ...
10/09/2026

As Banned Books Week comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the importance of keeping difficult stories within reach.

Don Nardo’s Life in a N**i Concentration Camp offers young readers a window into one of the darkest chapters of history, exploring the suffering in N**i concentration camps during the Holocaust.

Books like this can be difficult to read. They ask us to confront persecution, suffering, loss, and the consequences of hatred. Even so, difficult history should not be hidden. It should be taught, remembered, and discussed.

Throughout this week, we’ve shared Jewish stories that remind us why the freedom to read matters. These books preserve memories, amplify voices, and give new generations the opportunity to learn from the past.

As we close out Banned Books Week, we leave you with this:

Remembering is an act of responsibility.
Every story has the power to teach us something.
Finally, no history should be forgotten simply because it is difficult to read.

đź“– Let books be. Protect the freedom to read.

🎹 What a wonderful evening of music!Thank you to everyone who joined us for Keyboard Kaleidoscope: Three Pianists on Two...
10/09/2026

🎹 What a wonderful evening of music!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Keyboard Kaleidoscope: Three Pianists on Two Pianos and helped make the evening such a success.

We were thrilled to welcome Phoenix Chamber Ensemble pianists Vassa Shevel and Inessa Zaretsky, alongside guest artist Ellen Braslavsky, for an unforgettable program featuring Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Schnittke, and Bizet.

From two pianos and four hands to the spectacular finale of six hands on one piano, the evening was filled with beautiful music, energy, and artistry.

We are grateful to our musicians, supporters, and everyone who filled the room and shared in this special evening with us. Your enthusiasm and presence make programs like this possible.

Thank you for being part of the music and the community at the Center for Jewish History.

Blavatnik Archive

Every document holds a story. Every photograph preserves a memory. Together, they tell the story of Jewish life. At the ...
10/08/2026

Every document holds a story. Every photograph preserves a memory. Together, they tell the story of Jewish life.

At the Center for Jewish History, we preserve millions of irreplaceable records of Jewish life across generations and around the world and make them accessible to researchers, students, educators, and the public.

But preserving these stories for the future depends on support today.

On DAF Day, you can make an immediate impact by recommending a gift to the Center from your donor-advised fund. A contribution to your DAF provides an immediate tax deduction and allows you to recommend grants to charitable organizations now or in the future.

If you have a DAF, today is a chance to put your charitable dollars to work preserving Jewish history.

Donate at the link below:
https://www.cjh.org/donate/donate-now

This week is Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate the freedom to read and to recognize books that have been challenged...
10/08/2026

This week is Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate the freedom to read and to recognize books that have been challenged or removed from schools and libraries.

Jewish stories of courage, resistance, and survival deserve a place on our bookshelves. Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars introduces young readers to the story of a Danish family helping their Jewish friends escape N**i persecution during the Holocaust.

The novel has faced challenges in schools and libraries, with objections including its discussion of war, violence, death, and difficult historical events. But these are not reasons to turn away from history. Number the Stars helps young readers understand the Holocaust through a story of friendship, bravery, and the power of standing up for others.

As part of Banned Books Week, we’re sharing information and a quote from Number the Stars.

Because stories can teach us to be brave.
Because remembering history helps us recognize the consequences of hate.
And because young readers deserve the opportunity to learn, question, and understand.

đź“– Let books be. Protect the freedom to read.

This week is Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate the freedom to read and to recognize books that have been challenged...
10/06/2026

This week is Banned Books Week, a time to celebrate the freedom to read and to recognize books that have been challenged or removed from schools and libraries.

Jewish stories of the Holocaust have not always been easy to tell, or easy for some to hear. Art Spiegelman’s Maus is one of those powerful stories. Through the form of a graphic novel, Spiegelman tells the story of his father’s survival during the Holocaust while exploring memory, loss, family, and the lasting effects of trauma.

Maus has faced challenges and bans in schools and libraries, with objections often centered on its language, violence, imagery, and difficult subject matter. But confronting difficult history is part of understanding it. Maus gives readers a deeply personal window into the experiences of a Jewish family during one of history’s darkest chapters.

As part of Banned Books Week, we’re sharing information and a quote from Maus.

Because difficult stories still deserve to be told.
Because remembering the Holocaust matters.
And because silencing a story cannot erase the history behind it.

đź“– Let books be. Protect the freedom to read.

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Sunday 9:30am - 7:30pm

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