In the early twentieth century, Jews were still highly limited in the type of trade they could engage in. The de facto and the de jure, the so-called ‘gentlemen’s agreements,’ and on the books laws specifically banned Jews from certain neighborhoods, practices and careers. As witnesses in David Grubin’s PBS series “The Jewish Americans,” explained, it wasn’t unusual in the first half of the twentieth century to see signs outside of businesses and rest stops outlawing the …More

Driving down Washington Avenue in lively South Beach, one can’t help but notice the large rotunda of Temple Emanu-El. A ten-story high shining aluminum dome marks it. Inside are Byzantine-style red and white arches, red-backed seats, and a long line of red carpet. The rotunda, which was built in 1947, attracts many curious tourists. The stained-glass windows, the Jewish star in back, the beige stone columns, and the heavy wooden doors in front mark the set of white buildings as a synagogue. Temple Emanu-El, …More

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim is Canada's oldest and largest traditional synagogue. English, German and Polish Jews founded the congregation, located in Montreal, in 1846, when they rented a room on St. James Street for ten dollars. The minute one enters he is immediately struck by the sheer size. The main sanctuary has a capacity of over 1800 people. Some of the features include stained glass, red velvet seats, and stone pillars. Shabbat, Festival and High Holy Day Services are held in the main sanctuary, …More

The Moscow Choral Synagogue is the largest and longest running Orthodox synagogue in the Russian capital. Unlike several Eastern European synagogues, this synagogue is a thriving prayer community due to its unique congregation of Russian, Georgian, Bukharan, Mountain, and visiting Western Jews. The location right behind but not visible from a major road reflects the ambiguous status of Moscow's Jewish community. On the outside is a large silver dome. The inside of the synagogue showcases the Moorish style, which …More

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is not your ordinary museum. Visitors here don’t just simply observe but they get to really experience the stories that are being presented. Upon entering, each visitor receives an identification card describing the experiences of a person who lived in Europe during the Holocaust. One card contained the story of Izabella Katz, a woman who grew in Hungry, suffered anti-Semitism, lost her mother and sister in Auschwitz and ultimately immigrated to the United States …More