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 shaping Washington State today, aged 22 to 95. 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 event was attended by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. 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 used dolls in classrooms across the U.S. and Canada to promote cultural understanding and respect. 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, often the first visit there since youth. This site was later featured in Seattle’s Then and Now series by Paul Dorpat. 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. These exhibits showcase not only commerce but community, continuity, and contribution. Brenner Brothers Bakery (1925-1996) was a family-owned landmark in Seattle and Bellevue, founded by Abe Brenner in the early 1900s on Yesler Way and Cherry Street. Ben Bridge Jeweler, founded in Seattle in 1912 by Polish immigrant Samuel Silverman, became a family business after Silverman’s daughter Sally married Ben Bridge in 1927. The store, renamed Ben Bridge Jeweler in 1927, now has over 75 locations nationwide.
B. Marcus Priteca (1889–1971)
A prolific Scottish-born Jewish architect, he transformed the West Coast skyline with designs ranging from synagogues to theaters like the Pantages and Orpheum. An exhibit at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center showcased his work, artifacts, and personal items, drawing many guests to see familiar synagogues and view the exhibit curated by UW student Lisa Kranseler. The exhibit included medals and the cornice of a Bikur Cholim Synagogue column. On May 22, 2006, WSJHS launched the Priteca exhibit with 450 attendees, a keynote by Prof. Hildebrand, and recollections by Arnold Robbins, in the building Priteca designed.
Passport to Washington
Passport to Washington explores the many journeys that shaped Jewish life in Seattle and across Washington State. Curated by Joel Magalnick, former editor and publisher of JTNews (The Jewish Transcript), the exhibit captures the diverse migration stories of individuals who chose Washington as home. Organized thematically, the exhibit highlights leaders and innovators in the arts, education, music, food and wine, science and medicine, public affairs, and technology. Each section features six to ten individuals who share what brought them to Washington, how they built their lives and careers here, and, in many cases, how their work was informed by Jewish values. More than a collection of biographies, Passport to Washington reveals a living portrait of movement, opportunity, identity, and belonging. It reflects a central truth of Jewish history: we all came from somewhere, and together we continue to shape the story of this place. 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. The exhibition was closely connected to the Washington Jewish Museum and the Society’s growing digital archive, where extended versions of many stories were made available online. 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
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 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 highlights the history of Seattle’s Sephardic Jewish community, tracing their journey from Spain in 1492 through Turkey and Rhodes to Seattle, reflecting historic roots and modern life. Based on the 2014 exhibit Shalom! Open for Business, it was curated with the University of Washington Leon Study Abroad Center in León, Spain, guided by Anthony (Tony) Geist. A Spanish version opened in 2017, traveling through Spanish cities via the Red de Juderías de España, showcasing Sephardic culture worldwide. The Seattle Tour guides visitors through historic sites with community members sharing memories. In 2017, the exhibit debuted in León’s Town Hall, highlighting Sephardic resilience 500+ years after Spain’s expulsion. In 2019, it traveled across Spain and returned to Seattle for Sephardic Day at SJCC and the Erensya International Conference.
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. Artist Denny Warshal designed the boards, with trees created via Alise Tarica's program. More than genealogy, it 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 the Weitzman Museum, it combines a national traveling exhibit 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 like Beth Huppin and Mikhail Shmidt. 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.