Center for Jewish History

The Center for Jewish History illuminates the history and culture of the Jewish people by fostering public access to and engagement with the world’s largest archive of the modern Jewish experience outside Israel.

The collections of our five partners comprise over five miles of archival documents in dozens of languages and alphabet systems, over 500,000 volumes of books, and thousands of artworks, objects, textiles, and recordings, all spanning 5,000 years. The Center seeks to democratize access to collections and activate the stories they hold. We accomplish this through the expert work of our archivists and librarians, fellowships that support collections-based scholarship, academic and K-12 programs that offer educational opportunities inspired by collections, public programs that generate meaningful dialogue, and exhibitions that connect increasingly wider audiences.