Twenty Years of Jewish Storytelling
Presented by WSJHS, Twenty Years of Jewish Storytelling is an exhibit that celebrates twenty years of history, preservation, creativity, and community impact under the leadership of longtime Executive Director Lisa Kranseler. Curated as Lisa's legacy project, the exhibit brings together highlights from two decades of exhibits, public programs, oral histories, and publications documenting Jewish life across Washington. Through photographs, archival materials, and a visual timeline of the Society’s work, the exhibition explores stories of immigration, family, business, sports, and community life while highlighting the growth of the Washington Jewish Museum. Below are the digitized exhibit boards. Click the images to enlarge them, read their descriptions, and follow the links to learn more about each one.
Agents of Change: 20 Remarkable Women in Washington State
Agents of Change celebrates twenty Jewish women, ages 22 to 95, whose leadership and influence have shaped communities around the world. Curated by Jeff Schwager, the exhibit features narrative panels with interviews, photography, and storytelling, plus podcasts and a tribute book. Honorees include Sue Bird, Carrie Brownstein, and Marcie Sillman, embodying Jewish values through leadership and service. Debuting on Oct. 7, 2018, at Bell Harbor as part of the Washington State Jewish Historical Society’s 50th Anniversary and the launch of the Washington Jewish Museum. The exhibit is praised for its scale and storytelling, highlighting the impact of Jewish women in our state.
Confronting Hate Together
Inspired by the 2022 "Confronting Hate 1937-1952" exhibit at the New York Historical Society Museum and Library, Confronting Hate Together is a digital exhibit created with the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, and WSJHS. It focuses on shared themes of hate and community responses. Originally planned as a six-week physical exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum, it took a significant turn after the October 7 attacks and the Israel-Hamas war. Concerns over anti-Jewish harm and the partnership with WSJHS led to a staff walkout and the exhibit's cancellation. The public opening was set for May 22, 2024, but was canceled after the walkout, drawing global media. On September 19, 2024, WSJHS relaunched it with a panel at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, attracting over 600 attendees and promoting dialogue on confronting hate and building solidarity, supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
Distant Replay! Washington's Jewish Sports Heroes
Distant Replay celebrates the rich and diverse contributions of Jewish athletes, entrepreneurs, and sports enthusiasts in Washington State. Produced by WSJHS, the book draws on a two-year project that culminated in an exhibit honoring the state’s Jewish sports heritage, compiling more than 180 stories from men and women, girls and boys, who have left their mark on the local sports landscape. From professional and amateur athletes to team owners, reporters, broadcasters, and daredevils, Jewish Washingtonians have made their mark across nearly every sport. Highlights include contributions to franchises such as the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, Supersonics, and Sounders, as well as achievements in the Maccabi Games and state horse racing competitions. In 2011-2013, WSJHS staff and community volunteers gathered hundreds of fascinating stories documenting notable Jewish involvement in sports in Washington State. In January 2013, the exhibit launched at the Major Tailgate Party. After the launch, the exhibit traveled to a variety of venues, including Island Crust Café on Mercer Island and a special SJCC Softball Reunion. In May 2014, the exhibit was expanded into a full WSJHS publication.
Dolls for Democracy
This collection features miniature, three-dimensional portraits of influential figures from history, created between the 1940s and early 1970s by doll artist Cecil Bullard Weeks. Carefully handcrafted and rich in detail, the collection is now a traveling exhibition highlighting leaders like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, as well as lesser-known figures such as George Washington Carver, Haym Salomon, and Wing Luke, reflecting American history's diversity. Founded after WWII by B’nai B’rith Women, the Dolls for Democracy program promoted cultural understanding and respect in classrooms across the U.S. and Canada, while volunteers from B’nai B’rith Lodge No. 3003, known as the “Doll Ladies,” managed and used the dolls locally for decades in Washington State classrooms and in community settings to teach young children about tolerance. In August 2009, the collection was exhibited at the Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art, and follow-up donations were made to the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, which now holds the largest collection of B’nai Brith Dolls for Democracy.
Family of Strangers
Family of Strangers is the key history of Jewish life in Washington State, chronicling immigrant journeys from the 19th century through postwar and Soviet-era arrivals. The 2003 first edition by Molly Cone, Howard Droker, and Jacquelyn Williams uses interviews and archives to show how diverse Jewish groups built vibrant communities despite differences. The 2022 second edition, updated by Stuart Eskenazi, adds an epilogue covering the last 50 years, highlighting increasing diversity, identity exploration, and the evolving role of Jewish organizations in uniting Washington’s Jewish community. Both editions are popular resources for educators, students, and community members, and have won multiple awards for research and storytelling. The first edition was published July 1, 2003, covering Jewish history in Washington from the 1850s to around 1970, and was a Washington State Book Award finalist in 2004. The second edition was released June 1, 2022, at the WSJHS Gala at MOHAI, with a celebration at Third Place Books on September 13, 2022, featuring Stuart Eskenazi and moderator Emily Alhadeff.
Hear O'Washington: Oral History Program
Hear O’ Washington: The Washington State Jewish Historical Society’s oral history program documents the experiences of Jewish individuals and families across the state through recorded interviews and stories, capturing migration, community, religious life, and daily experiences. Over 500 histories are stored at the Washington State Jewish Archives, managed jointly by WSJHS and UW Special Collections Libraries. Organizing stories by themes, Hear O’ Washington helps visitors explore personal histories and the resilience of Washington’s Jewish communities. Since 1968, volunteers like Meta Buttnick and Mildred Rosenbaum have collected oral histories, founding the program. In 2019, WSJHS invited Bar and Bat Mitzvah students to share stories in the “13 Counts” exhibit. During the 2020 pandemic, the program documented Jewish life, featured on King5 Evening News. From 2024, using TheirStory and the WSJHS Storybooth, it continues recording, transcribing, and sharing histories to preserve voices for future generations.
In the Land of Rain and Salmon
Created with Book-It Repertory Theatre, In the Land of Rain and Salmon is a theatrical production that highlights Washington State’s Jewish history through storytelling and performance. Using oral histories and archival materials from Washington State Jewish Historical Society exhibits, including Family of Strangers, Who’s Minding the Store?, and the Six Generation Family Tree, it showcases the experiences of Jewish pioneers shaping communities across the Pacific Northwest. Developed with historian Lisa Kranseler, it combines research with live performance for an engaging regional history. In 2012, the script was developed with Book-It Theatre using materials from WSJHS exhibits. An early performance was held at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, the former Congregation Bikur Cholim synagogue. From June 2, 2013, to 2014, it premiered and toured Washington, including Central Washington University and Kirkland Historical Society, with about twenty performances.
Open for Business: Jewish Enterprise in Washington State
From neighborhood storefronts to landmark institutions, Jewish-owned businesses have played a vital role in shaping Washington State’s economic and civic life. Who’s Minding the Store? (2009), the first large-scale effort by WSJHS, documented this legacy with over 170 Jewish-owned businesses from statehood to the 1970s, highlighting entrepreneurial spirit and community leadership. Building on that, Shalom! Open for Business (2014) expanded the project at MOHAI, using thematic storytelling, artifacts, and curation by Stuart Eskenazi to connect Jewish business history with Washington's broader story. Featured businesses include historic companies such as Brenner Brothers Bakery in Seattle, Huppin's in Spokane, and Lippitt Brothers in Colfax, as well as businesses still operating today, including LeRoy Jeweler's in Tacoma, Glazer's Camera in Seattle, and Olympia Supply Company in Olympia. These exhibits showcase not only commerce but community, continuity, and contribution.
B. Marcus Priteca (1889–1971)
B. Marcus Priteca, born in Glasgow in 1889, emigrated to Seattle in 1909 and became one of the most influential theater architects of the early 20th century. Priteca designed more than 150 theaters across North America, including the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and Seattle’s Admiral and Magnolia Theatres. The exhibit, featuring drawings and artifacts, was held at the Langston Hughes Center for the Performing Arts, the former home of Bikur Cholim, a synagogue designed by Priteca. The exhibit launch drew 450 guests, including professors and volunteers.
Passport to Washington
This digital exhibit explores the stories and lasting contributions of Jewish migrants to Seattle, highlighting their impact across fields including the arts, education, music, food and wine, science and medicine, public affairs, and technology. Curated by Joel Magalnick, former editor of JT News, the exhibit features thematic groupings of educators, legislators, scientists, and other leaders, each sharing their migration journeys, their contributions to Washington, and how their work reflects their Jewish values. In Spring 2016, Passport to Washington debuted at the Seattle Design Center, inviting visitors to explore the personal and professional journeys of Jewish Washingtonians across generations and industries. Visitors were encouraged to contribute names and stories of others who should be included, reinforcing WSJHS’s guiding belief that “every day we are making history.”
The Musical Legacy of Samuel E. Goldfarb
Samuel E. Goldfarb was a longtime choir director at Temple De Hirsch Sinai and a key figure in American Jewish music. Over decades, he trained many in song, building choirs central to Seattle's Jewish community. He also composed the popular “Dreidel Song,” sung worldwide during Chanukkah. Through teaching, compositions, and dedication to musical excellence, Goldfarb fostered community, leaving a legacy in the voices he mentored and the music uniting people across generations. On June 10, 2007, a concert and exhibit, conceived by Lucy Spring, a former junior choir director under Goldfarb, reunited former choir members. Singers from different generations performed his music, many for the first time in decades. The program included performances by Althea Stroum and a reenactment of a duo skit by Spring and Kathie Barokas. An exhibit of photos and artifacts, curated by Lisa Kranseler with Goldfarb’s grandson’s help, accompanied the event.
Shalom! Sefarad and the Seattle Historic Sephardic Walking Tour
Shalom! Sefarad & Seattle Historic Sephardic Tour explores the history of Seattle’s Sephardic Jewish community, tracing its journey from Spain in 1492 through Turkey and Rhodes to Seattle. Based on the 2014 exhibit, Shalom! Open for Business, it was created in partnership with the University of Washington Leon Study Abroad Center in León, Spain, under the guidance of Anthony (Tony) Geist. A Spanish-language version launched in 2017 and traveled through cities across Spain, sharing Seattle’s Sephardic story with international audiences.
The Seattle Walking Tour explores historic sites in Seattle’s original Jewish neighborhood through recorded memories from community members about local businesses, schools, homes, and daily life. Visitors can take the tour in person or experience it virtually from anywhere in the world. The tour launched online in 2021 to an audience of more than 100 people and featured a recorded program hosted by Sprince Arbogast and Lisa Kranseler.
Six-Generation Family Trees
The Six-Generation Family Tree exhibit is a powerful community project by WSJHS, curated by Helen Stusser, featuring 77 family trees showing overlaps in Seattle’s Jewish community. Historic families appeared across multiple trees, highlighting connections. More than genealogy, this exhibit depicted continuity, migration, and belonging. Debuted May 4, 2008, at Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, attracting hundreds, exposing new connections, reunions, and featured in The Seattle Times. Afterward, it was re-curated into 11 traveling panels, displayed at the Stroum Jewish Community Center and other venues, fostering discovery and community bonds.
The Soviet Jewish Experience: Washington State Stories
The Soviet Jewish Experience: Washington State Stories looks at the struggle of Jews under Soviet rule and the international effort to allow their emigration. Developed by WSJHS with local displays on Washington State's ties to the Soviet Jewish movement. It shows persecution of Soviet Jews, the rise of Refuseniks—those denied visas and facing hardships—and features stories of local activists and Refuseniks. Launched in March 2019 alongside Power of Protest, it included community programs, a Sasha Senderovich lecture, a 6-week display at UW Hillel, and a screening of Refusenik during the Seattle Jewish Film Festival.
Yesterday’s Mavens, Today’s Foodies
Food is history, culture, connection, community, ritual, nourishment, sustenance, survival, and memory. Through the lens of your kitchen, your grandmother's kitchen, and your children's kitchen, Yesterday's Mavens, Today's Foodies tells the story of our Sephardic and Ashkenazic traditions and weaves them into the Pacific Northwest's pioneer spirit and its bounty of fresh food products and growing foodie culture. On November 6, 2011, our community celebrated the launch of the first WSJHS cookbook at Herzl-Ner Tamid. Guests enjoyed samples from the book and a special play by the Seattle Jewish Theater Company, “Tales of Chelm,” from The World of Sholom Aleichem, a classic Broadway hit. On December 20, 2011, the book was covered in the Seattle Times in a beautiful story by Nancy Leson, the author of the book's Foreword.