Curators\' Summer Institute in Jewish Art, Culture and History

The Summer Institute for Jewish Art will afford curators from public and private museums across the country the opportunity to develop their knowledge of Jewish art and material culture, including Jewish ceremonial objects, Hebrew books and manuscripts, and artifacts from ancient Israel. The seminar, offered by the Jewish Theological Seminary, will be held annually for three years beginning June, 2004. The first seminar will be held on the JTS campus from June 1-21, 2004.

The seminar\'s goal — to address the professional development needs of museum curators who have limited experience with Judaica — is part of JTS\'s commitment to sharing the riches of Jewish culture with people of all backgrounds. Directed by Dr. Vivian B. Mann, Advisor to the Master\'s Program at JTS, the seminar will train fifteen museum curators each year in the history and philosophy of Jewish art, and in the use of Jewish art in education. In addition, the seminar will serve as an opportunity for curators to develop productive professional relationships with colleagues from around the country.

Highlights of the Summer Institute include the following courses and programs:

• Jewish Ceremonial Art in Context: A course tracing the history of Jewish ceremonial art from antiquity to the present, within the development of the decorative arts and within the context of Jewish law.
• Philosophy of the Positive Commandments in Judaism: A seminar exploring the interplay between obligation and belief focusing on the need for Jewish ceremonial objects in the fulfillment of Judaism\'s commandments.
• Learning from Judaica: A unit introducing the use of Judaica in museum education programs, focusing on strategies for teaching Jewish history and integrating Judaica exhibits into public school curricula.

This program funded by a grant from The Henry Luce Foundation, which awards grants in the areas of American art, higher education, theology, public affairs, public policy and the environment.

For more information on this program, contact Dr. Vivian B. Mann at (212) 678-8892 or via email at vimann@jtsa.edu
For more information about the Jewish Theological Seminary, visit their website, www.jtsa.org. '; ?>