Jewish Washington: Scrapbook of an American Community

This 100-page beautifully designed and crafted large format hardcover book, based on our award-winning exhibition, features brief essays and a historic overview of the Jewish families, businesses, congregations, neighborhoods, and communal organizations in the city and its suburbs. In print for the very first time are more than 100 images of historic documents, artifacts, and photographs, many never seen before, from the Society's collections.

This book, which began as a landmark exhibition, adds depth and dimension to the story of Washington s Jewish community. Drawing on the rich community archives, the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington first created an exhibition and this new book to honor the 350th anniversary of Jewish life in America. Inside, a wealth of images, many never before seen by the public, depict a Washington that is both the nation s capital and hometown to the sixth largest Jewish community in the United States.

The format and title of the book take their cue from the many scrapbooks now housed in the Society s archives. These valuable objects record the unique history and its role in American Jewish life and the nation s history. These materials, and the rest of the Society s collections, form the nation s central archives for this special community.