(Forsyth County, GA) Only about two more weeks are left to see the “Eighteen Artifacts: Story of Jewish Atlanta” exhibit at the Sharon Forks Library in Forsyth County.
The exhibit is a partnership between The William Breman Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Georgia Public Library Service to highlight the history of Jews in Atlanta.
This is the second statewide tour of the exhibit, which was originally on tour in 2019. Today, there are two exhibits circulating through libraries in Georgia, with the second one currently at a Henry County library.
“We are excited to bring this exhibition to more libraries throughout Georgia, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share these unforgettable stories with library visitors,” said Leslie Gordon, executive director of The Breman Museum. “Many of the stories are not found in history books and are important to Georgia history.”
The exhibit, made up of several double-sided panels, winds throughout the library narrating the history of Jews in Atlanta in chronological order. In 1845, Central European immigrants Jacob Haas and Henry Levi moved their general store to a railroad juncture recently renamed Atlanta.
The waves of Jewish immigrants brought many social, economic and educational contributions to the city over the next 170 years, including their influence in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
The number of the exhibits, 18, is not by chance. In Hebrew, the number 18 is represented by the word “Chai” (pronounced “high”), which can also be translated to mean “life.” According to the exhibit, the celebration of life is an important belief in Judaism. The exhibit is meant to be a celebration of the history of Jewish life in Atlanta.
The exhibit, which originally opened at Sharon Forks Library on Thursday, January 12, will be on display through Wednesday, February 15. The exhibit will continue to tour 30 libraries in the state through August 2024.
“Georgia's public libraries are excited to continue the exhibit tour and our partnership with the Breman Museum, continuing our commitment to opening the doors to Georgia's rich cultural resources to families in every community,” said Julie Walker, the vice chancellor for libraries and archives and the state librarian.
Free family passes to The William Breman Museum of Jewish Heritage are available through any Georgia library. More information can be found here.
The Sharon Forks Library is located at 2820 Old Atlanta Road in Cumming. It is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
For more information on The William Breman Museum of Jewish Heritage, visit thebreman.org. For more information on the Sharon Forks exhibit, click here.
If you have a news tip in Forsyth County, contact Justine Lookenott at justine.lookenott@newsbreak.com.
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