To foster cross-cultural exploration and expand the CSRA’s knowledge of Judaism, AJM has partnered with the Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA) for an Oral History Project of members of the CSRA Jewish Community to enhance what is already available. JNSA is a free, high-quality, after-school arts program for all children in the CSRA regardless of income. These interviews are audio and video recorded by the supervised students. A portion of each is being used for a JNSA-run podcast that integrates history, youth, and art. When a community’s history is lost, its identity is also lost. AJM is appreciative to JNSA for recording these stories for interpretation, empathy, and remembrance, which will be a part of the Augusta Jewish Museum. Visit the JNSA Website
On February 25, 2020, the Augusta Jewish Museum in partnership with the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History presented an encore performance of Anne and Emmett. This play depicted a fictional conversation between Anne Frank a Jewish teenager who died in the Holocaust and Emmett Till, an African American teenager who was lynched during the Jim Crow era. The play was followed by a discussion group composed of actors and audience members. This partnership was a successful fundraiser for both museums.
See the Education page for additional information about the play.
Visit the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History website.
The Morris Museum of Art has a program that allows individuals and institutions to symbolically adopt a work of art to support their museum. The Augusta Jewish Museum has adopted a painting by prominent Jewish artist Beth Bolgla entitled Heartland X, Angel, and Cow.
Visit the Morris Museum of Art websiteAdopt a painting
Historical records reflect that Jews have lived in the Augusta area since at least 1802. The first recorded Jewish resident was Isaac Hendricks, a trader who moved from Charleston. With the subsequent arrival of German immigrants, the Jewish community began to grow and become organized. Schools for Jewish children were established and what is now known as Congregation of Children of Israel was established in 1846. In 1869 the Congregation built the synagogue on Telfair Street that is now part of the Augusta Jewish Museum. It is today the oldest standing synagogue building in Georgia.
In the latter years of the 19th century, the Jewish community in Augusta grew further, in part a result of immigration from eastern Europe. In 1884 an Orthodox minyan was established, which evolved into Adas Yeshurun, now a Conservative congregation.
Through the latter part of the 19th century, and through the 20th century, the Jewish community in the Augusta region continued to grow. Jews became prominent businesspersons, lawyers and judges, and civic and political leaders. A large number of downtown businesses were owned and operated by Jews. By the latter part of the 20th century, the Jewish population of Augusta had grown to 1500. There was a Jewish Community Center, a Chabad, and other Jewish organizations.
The history of Jews in the Augusta area is extensively evidenced and described at the Augusta Jewish Museum and in its collection (see https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/augjm_augjmc). Other evidence of continuous and Jewish presence can be seen at the Magnolia Cemetery, which has five sections of Jewish graves and memorials (www.augustaga.gov/352/Magnolia?PN=Magnolia-Cemetery).
Jewish museums are essential to the preservation of Jewish art, history, and culture. They display a wide variety of exhibits, ranging from historical records and religious objects to modern artwork and educational initiatives. There are Jewish museums across the world that focus on preservation and future education for every community! For the Jewish community as well as the general public, these establishments provide crucial forums for education, commemoration, and cross-cultural interaction.
United States
Alaska Jewish Museum https://www.alaskajewishmuseum.com/
American Jewish Museum https://jccpgh.org/arts-and-events/american-jewish-museum/
Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art https://belzmuseum.org/
Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives https://www.bethahabah.org/bama/
Candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center https://candlesholocaustmuseum.org/
Capital Jewish Museum https://capitaljewishmuseum.org/
Center for Jewish History https://www.cjh.org/
Congregation Mickve Israel https://www.mickveisrael.org/museum_tours.html
Contemporary Jewish Museum https://www.thecjm.org/
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum https://www.dhhrm.org/
El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center https://elpasoholocaustmuseum.org/
Florida Holocaust Museum https://www.thefhm.org/
Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau https://www.hmtcli.org/
Holocaust Museum Houston https://hmh.org/
Holocaust Museum Los Angeles https://www.holocaustmuseumla.org/
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/
Jewish Children’s Museum https://www.jcm.museum/
Jewish Museum and Cultural Center of Portsmouth https://www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org
Jewish Museum New York https://thejewishmuseum.org/
Jewish Museum of Florida–FIU https://jmof.fiu.edu/
Jewish Museum of Maryland https://jewishmuseummd.org/
Jewish Museum of Milwaukee https://jewishmuseummilwaukee.org/
Jewish Museum of New Jersey https://new.ahavassholom.org/home/jewish-museum-of-nj/
Jewish Museum of the American West https://www.jmaw.org/cutler-plotin-jewish-phoenix/
Jewish Women’s Archive https://jwa.org
Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life https://magnes.berkeley.edu/
Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage https://www.maltzmuseum.org/
Mizel Museum https://mizelmuseum.org/
Museum at Eldridge Street https://www.eldridgestreet.org/
Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust https://mjhnyc.org/
Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience https://msje.org/
Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles https://www.museumoftolerance.com/
Mystic River Jewish Communities Project http://mysticriverjews.jcam.org/
Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/
National Museum of American Jewish Military History https://nmajmh.org/
United States
Nebraska Jewish Historical Society https://nebraskajhs.com
New Mexico Holocaust Museum and Gellert Center for Education https://nmholocaustmuseum.org/
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education https://www.ojmche.org/
Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art https://rodephshalom.org/philadelphia-museum-of-jewish-art/
Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum https://www.safehavenmuseum.com/
Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art https://www.jewishmuseumtulsa.org/
Skirball Cultural Center https://www.skirball.org/
Skirball Museum at HUC https://csm.huc.edu/
Sons of Jacob Synagogue http://sonsofjacobsynagogue.net/
St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum https://stlholocaustmuseum.org/
Temple Israel Museum (Leadville, CO) http://jewishleadville.org
Touro Synagogue: National Historic Site https://tourosynagogue.org/
Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center https://www.jewishhistorymuseum.org/
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum https://www.ushmm.org/
Virginia Holocaust Museum https://www.vaholocaust.org/
Vilna Shul https://www.vilnashul.org
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History https://theweitzman.org/
William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum https://www.thebreman.org/
Yeshiva University Museum https://www.yumuseum.org/
Yiddish Book Center https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/visit/permanent-visiting-exhibits
Zekelman Holocaust Center https://www.holocaustcenter.org/
Canada
Jewish Canadian Military Museum https://www.jewishtoronto.com/directory/jewish-canadian-military-museum
Koffler Centre of the Arts https://www.kofflerarts.org
Montreal Holocaust Museum https://museeholocauste.ca/en/
St. John Jewish Historical Museum http://jewishmuseumsj.com/
The Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada https://www.jhcwc.org/about/jewish-museum-of-western-canada/
Toronto Holocaust Museum https://torontoholocaustmuseum.org/
Non-profit Status
Our organization is a tax-exempt, qualified charitable organization under the requirements of Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). The Augusta Jewish Museum is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170. The Augusta Jewish Museum complies with IRS regulations for public inspection and disclosure of certain organization documents.
