The Greenwich Historical Society is planning an exhibition on the Jewish history of Greenwich, tentatively scheduled for November 2017 through March 2018. The show seeks to chronicle the immigration experiences of ancestors, migration to Greenwich and what it was like living or growing up Jewish in Greenwich.
Through a series of planned discovery sessions this fall, local Jewish families are being encouraged to share stories, heirlooms and objects to be considered for the exhibition. At these "show and tell" sessions, Historical Society representatives will examine, measure and photograph shared items and record their stories along with any other known information.
By sharing important memories, traditions and family objects, the exhibition will bring to life the varied stories of the Jewish families who settled in Greenwich. Commenting on the crucial role that public input will play, Exhibition Committee Chairman Jessica Guff noted, "We can't do this without the support and participation of the Jewish community. Before these memories are lost, please help us chronicle your family's role in shaping our town."
Letters, photographs, emigration documents, diaries, recipes, household objects, vintage clothing, posters, postcards, scrapbooks, photographs and film clips of family and community events all are possibilities for inclusion in the exhibition. The Historical Society is also interested in hearing personal stories that convey the reasons why people left their former homes and what they experienced as they began new lives in Greenwich.
Please take the time to help preserve these stories-past and present-by actively participating. Discovery Sessions will take place at the UJA Federation/Greenwich, One Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich, CT on Thursday, September 15, 2016, from 9:30 am to noon in the Small Conference room and on Monday, September 19, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in the Large Conference Room. Please note that no object appraisals will be given.
If you would like additional information or are unable to attend the Discovery Days, you may contact Christopher Shields, Curator of Archives, Greenwich Historical Society, to arrange for an appointment by phone at 203.869.6899, Ext.23 or by email at: .
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