Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience announces Celebration Weekend

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans will celebrate its grand opening at its first anniversary.

The museum opened to the public last May, but due to the ongoing pandemic, they decided to postpone a regional dedication. The ceremony was originally scheduled for October, but the Delta variant and aftermath of Hurricane Ida ended those plans and there was a low-key mezuzah hanging in early October.

The Celebration Weekend will be June 11 and 12, and registration is open. The museum itself is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day except Tuesday.

There will be a hospitality suite for museum donors and members, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and June 12 from noon to 4 p.m. The suite will be in the Ferber Family Foundation classroom on the second floor, with water and light refreshments.

Founding donors at the $18,000 and above level, along with sponsors, are invited to a patron party on June 11 at 5:30 p.m. All donors and members are invited to a celebration of the museum’s first year, starting at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required for the evening events, as space is limited.

On June 12, there will be a jazz brunch at the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute, across from the museum, starting at 10 a.m. There will be traditional brunch fare, drinks and music. Tickets are $35 for adults, $10 for those under age 18.

The main celebration will be from noon to 4 p.m. on June 12, with free admission to the museum, crafts, music and food trucks.

As part of the weekend, a commemorative program is being published, detailing the museum’s history, listing donors and celebrating the first year. Mazel Tov messages are being solicited for the program, for supporters to do a congratulatory message, recount their family’s Southern Jewish heritage, or promote a company. Quarter pages are $250, half pages are $500 and full pages are $1,000. Sponsorships for the weekend are also available.

For more information or to register, visit here.