The Augusta Jewish Museum, located in the heart of downtown Augusta, Georgia brings Jewish history to life through engaging exhibits focused on the tapestry of Jewish contributions to the Augusta River Region, Jewish traditions, culture, and values, Holocaust remembrance, and the story of Israel and its people.
Our timeline links events in the Augusta Jewish community with those in the area, in the country, and in the world.
of the Jewish Community to the Augusta River Region: These displays showcase business, public servants, arts, education & medicine, as well as faith & fellowship.
and Traditions: Learn about Sacred Spaces and Sacred Time, Observance of Shabbat and Holidays, the Calendar, Life Cycle Events, Special Foods, and much more.
the Holocaust: Learn about the Holocaust through stories of survivors and liberators and about what the history of the Holocaust continues to teach us. View the saved 1860s Czech Torah on display.
the Land and its People: Explore groundbreaking innovations and extraordinary humanitarian efforts around the world, as well as the diversity of the people and the land of Israel.
The entry room to the Augusta Jewish Museum Education Center provides an in-depth overview of Jewish history from the early 1800s to present day. Jewish migration to the Southeast began in 1695 with arrivals to Charleston. Savannah was not founded until 1733 with the first Jews arriving there in Spring 1733. It continued with the arrival of trader Isaac Hendricks, the first Jew in Augusta, around 1802. The timeline offers background to Jewish history throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, covering events in the CSRA, like the formation of each Jewish congregation, and the construction of synagogues and community centers in Augusta. It also simultaneously covers milestones and historical eras from around the country and world, like the moon landing in 1969 and the Civil Rights Movement. The timeline concludes with the opening of the Augusta Jewish Museum in 2021, saving the two historic Telfair St buildings from demolition. This exhibit room features two interactive screens, and an art piece by Jewish businessman, Meyer Kreisberg titled “Memories 1900-1940”, depicting Broad St. Augusta in the early 20th century.
The second exhibit room is the Jewish Contributions room that explores community contributions from those in business, arts, education, and healthcare. Learn about the future progression of AJM, like connecting the two historic buildings through this exhibit room. There are many collections and objects on loan for display, such as Abe Schneider’s violin, Bennie Bolgla’s military uniform, original recipes for products sold at KAMO in the 1940s, and Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls from the Jewish owned Beehive department store.
Learn about public servants and about those citizens who worked to strengthen the Jewish community of the Augusta River Region through their contributions in business and art.
This room teaches about the vast and immersive background of the Jewish faith. Jewish Life and Traditions provides a glimpse into the holy rituals, symbols and ancient practices of Judaism. Evidence of the rich tapestry of Jewish holidays, important life cycle events, and practices of everyday living are on display.
Experience a typical Shabbat meal at the table set with china, Shabbat Candles, braided challah, kiddush cup and wine glasses, prayer books, and more! In this room, flip up each card on the reading rail to learn about traditional Jewish dietary staples.
In the fourth exhibit room, Remembering the Holocaust educates us about the numerous atrocities which happened between 1933-1945, as well as the Holocaust’s aftermath, survivors’ stories, and the Righteous Among the Nations. The Holocaust has become known as the most horrific and atrocious act of genocide in contemporary history. During the liberation of the concentration camps and the conclusion of World War II, the gravity of these atrocities was not fully comprehended at the time. The way that different nations have remembered the Holocaust has changed throughout time. This exhibit room is meant to educate and provide a better understanding of the Holocaust, with two collections objects in support of this exhibit. The first object featured in Remembering the Holocaust is Signatures of US Liberators on a captured Nazi flag, recovered from 1945, and the second object is a Czechoslovakian Sefer Torah, from around 1820, which is on loan from the Memorial Scrolls Trust.
The fifth exhibit room in the Education Center is devoted to exploring the state of Israel, founded in 1948. Although the land of Israel is only about the size of New Jersey, it is full of expansive culture, innovations, and growing heritage. Israel’s significance comes from its unique status as a contemporary country with strong religious and historical ties to Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
It serves as a center for scientific advancement and innovation and is a strategically important supporter of the United States in the Middle East.
The land of Israel is sacred to the Jewish people, serving as an original homeland and safe-haven after the Holocaust; it is vital in learning about Jewish life.
