Exhibit

Sharing Meals, Creating Community

Explore the traditions and gatherings that shape Jewish life in Dallas.

“When do we eat?” is a common refrain around the Pesach Seder, the blessing of Shabbat meal and other occasions where Jewish family & friends gather. A meal, and all that goes into its preparation, can be considered synonymous with Jewish life. The act of sharing a meal preceding or following an event—whether cheerful or somber—is an act of love. It solidifies bonds of friendship, family, and community. A table, likewise, is the epicenter of daily life. It is the place where life’s trials, tribulations, and success are relayed. And, it is a place where traditions and customs grow, evolve, and endure across generations. According to the Talmud, the family table has the additional role as an altar. Thus, “every home a temple; every family a sanctuary; every table an altar; every meal an offering; every Jew a Priest.” 1

The importance of the meal to Jewish life and culture has evolved over 2000 years. While there are geographic differences among the diaspora, keeping kosher, customs of food preparation, traditional recipes, rituals, celebrations, and the notion of “table as temple” are witnessed globally.

This exhibit aims to share in the experiences of the Dallas Jewish community preparing and sharing meals for all occasions. From the menorahs that light the way during Hanukkah, to the Seder plates that remind of the past; the dishes used for decades of weekly Shabbat dinners, the celebrations that expand families, and those that reintroduce us to our neighbors, Jewish life doesn’t necessarily revolve around food—it revolves around the items, ceremonies, traditions, tables, and people who make the food taste good. Now, go let Bubbe feed you.

1 Poupko, Rabbi Yehiele E. “Eating as a Celebration of Jewish Life.” JUF News. November 26, 2007. Accessed November 07, 2018. https://www.juf.org/news/thinking_torah.aspx?id=28094.

A glass display case with various artifacts, books, photos, and decorative plates. Office space is visible behind the case.

A display case with Jewish ceremonial objects, photos, books, candlesticks, plates, and decorated fabric aprons.

Museum display with a feather pen, two knives, a glass, a juice box, and a long wooden case on a shelf.

Museum display case with vintage kitchen items, books, aprons, photos, and a brass plate on glass shelves.

Glass tankard, black bottle opener, and gold pin on display with descriptive labels in a glass case.

A vintage tin and a spiral-bound cookbook titled “Eater’s Digest” are displayed on a glass shelf in a museum.

Display case with a photo of a Passover Seder, a decorative plate, and a figurine on a Star of David table mat.

Black and white photo of children and adults around a table with a cake, smiling at a celebration. — Sweet family at the Century Room, Hotel Adolphus, Dallas, Janice & Arnold Sweet Collection

A large group of people dressed formally sit around a dining table set for a meal in a vintage room. — Cobbel Family Dinner, Cobbel Family Collection

Large outdoor wedding banquet at night, 1915, with many guests seated at long tables under string lights. — Goldstein Friedman Banquet, 1915, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Large group of people in formal attire gathered in a decorated room around tables with food and drinks. — Annie and Morris Gruber Wedding Dinner, 1915, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A young girl stirs food with adults standing around her, one gesturing with his hand. Indoor setting. — Dallas Havurah, 1984, Chais of Dallas – Dallas Havurah Collection

A black-and-white photo of children at a birthday party, with adults standing behind them, smiling at the camera. — Andrea Weinstein at Birthday Party, 1956, Andrea Weinstein Collection

A group of people sit around a dinner table, smiling at the camera during a social gathering. — Dallas Havurah, 1982, Chais of Dallas – Dallas Havurah Collection

Seven people sit around a dinner table, smiling and talking, with food and drinks in a warmly lit dining room. — Dallas Havurah, 1992, Chais of Dallas – Dallas Havurah Collection

Large group of people in formal attire seated around a dining table set for a meal in a vintage room. — 1920s-Era Passover Seder, Sam & Dubbie Margules Family, Sylvia Margules Trugman Collection

Seven women sit around a table covered with papers, discussing, in a bright room with large windows and city views. — Meeting with Refreshments, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A group of people gathered around a table with lit candles in a cozy dining room, smiling for the camera. — Dallas Havurah, 1999, Chais of Dallas – Dallas Havurah Collection

Black-and-white photo of a formal banquet with many people seated at long tables in a decorated hall. — Meal at Byer Rolnick, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Group of people dressed formally, sitting around a table set for a meal, smiling and talking at a gathering. — Shirley & Sol Wald at an Event, Shirley & Sol Wald Collection

Large group of children and adults gathered around tables in a bright, high-ceilinged room for a formal event. — Community Gathering, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A vintage bridal shower card with a woman in pink and floral designs, featuring handwritten notes inside. — Invitation to a “Kitchen Shower,” Madelyn Schepps Collection

A large family gathers around a long table for a meal in a wood-paneled dining room, April 1943. — Cantor & Mrs. Rubin Kaplan and Family, Pearl Utay Friedman Collection

Fourteen people of various ages pose around a table with a patterned cloth in a vintage, sepia-toned room. — William Soltes and Family, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Two students in sports jerseys smile for the camera while holding Passover seder plates, newspaper article above them. — Dallas Morning News, 2002, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Twelve people in early 1900s attire sit around a dining table set for a meal in a patterned, vintage room. — Passover Seder, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A group of children and a few adults pose together behind a long table in a black and white photo. — Cooking Class, 1917-1918, National Council of Jewish Women Collection

A large group of people dressed formally gather around a table set with food at an indoor event. — Large Gathering Over a Meal, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A round, ornate metal plate with intricate engraved patterns, placed on a dark cloth background. — Engraved Brass Plate, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection

Two brass candlesticks with different designs stand upright against a black background. — Pair of Brass Candlesticks, Harriet Gross Collection

Vintage book cover with “Cocktails to Coffee” text, illustrations of glasses, teacups, and a coffee pot on a worn background. — Cocktails to Coffee, Dallas Council of Jewish Women, Dallas Jewish Historical Society

White apron with a Passover Seder plate design and “Pleasant Passover” embroidered in brown thread at the bottom. — Handmade Apron—Pleasant Passover Design, Andrea Weinstein Collection

Light blue apron with Jewish holiday symbols, including menorahs, Torah, and portraits, with “Happy Holiday” text embroidered. — Handmade Reversible Apron—Shabbat Shalom and Happy Holiday (side b), Andrea Weinstein Collection

Brass cup holder with an ornate design, including a menorah and Star of David, on a black background. — Judaica-Themed Neiman Marcus Votive Holder, Harriet Gross Collection

Blue ceramic dish shaped like a dreidel, painted with a menorah and yellow Star of David on a black background. — Centrum Brand “Festival of Lights” Dish, Harriet Gross Collection

A dark plate’s underside with handwritten notes and a sticker reading “Hand wash only; no microwave or conventional ovens.”. — Decorative Plate, “Stars & Dreidels,” edition 20/150 Designed by P. Utay (reverse), Shirley & Sol Wald Collection

A metal key with “1971 Jewish Welfare Federation Campaign Pearl Klausner” engraved on it, against a black background. — Jewish Welfare Federation Bottle Opener, Given to Pearl Klausner, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A red candle, a wooden spoon, and a white feather lie on a glossy black surface against a dark background. — Bedikat Chometz Set, Debra Polsky Collection

A gold-rimmed plate with a colorful center, featuring stars and geometric shapes on a blue background. — Decorative Plate, “Stars & Dreidels,” edition 20/150 Designed by P. Utay, Shirley & Sol Wald Collection

Clay figurine of a man holding a large menorah with lit candles, set against a black background. — Menorah with Ceramic Rabbi Figurine, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection

White statue of a bearded man seated on a pedestal, draped in robes, against a black background. — Liquor Bottle Replica of Michelangelo’s Moses, Harriet Gross Collection

A wine bottle dressed in a blue vest and bowtie with Star of David patterns on a black background. — Decorative Bottle Cover, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection

A clear, patterned glass vase with a chipped rim sits on a plain black background. — Small Cut Crystal Vase, Dallas Jewish Historical Society

Light blue apron with “Happy Hanukkah” and a dreidel design on the front, displayed on a flat surface. — Handmade Apron—Happy Hanukah, Andrea Weinstein Collection

Pink apron with a heart-shaped pocket and floral trim, red edging, and a waistband with matching floral pattern. — Handmade Apron—pink and floral with heart applique pocket, c. 1961, Andrea Weinstein Collection

A spiral-bound cookbook titled “A Taste of Tradition: A Kosher Cookbook” on a black background. — A Taste of Tradition: A Kosher Cookbook Shearith Israel Sisterhood, 1980, Stuart Rosenfield Collection

A round glass plate with blue abstract shapes and a blue floral pattern in the center on a black background. — Abstract-Judaica Decorative Plate, Harriet Gross Collection

White decorative plate with red drawing of Forest Avenue High School building and trees on the front. — Forest Avenue High School Commemorative Plate, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

An ornate, round silver platter with intricate engraved patterns, resting on a black cloth background. — CWSL Award to Sol Minzer, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Colorful plastic dreidels in front of a label reading “Dreidels, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection” on a black background. — Dreidels, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection

A white porcelain statue of a seated bearded man, viewed from the back, with a visible brown crack near the base. — Liquor Bottle Replica of Michelangelo’s Moses (reverse), Harriet Gross Collection

A sheer apron with “Shabbat Shalom” and a table set for Shabbat embroidered on the front panel. — Handmade Reversible Apron—Shabbat Shalom and Happy Holiday (side a), Andrea Weinstein Collection

Silver Passover Seder plate with Hebrew labels for ritual foods, ornate floral border, on a dark background. — Ornate Seder Plate, Miriam & Al Creemer Collection

A colorful Passover Seder plate with Hebrew letters and six sections for traditional symbolic foods. — Ornate Seder Plate with Handles, Dorothy Wolchansky Collection

Yellow cookbook titled “5000 Years in the Kitchen,” with two women and a temple illustration on the cover. — 5000 Years in the Kitchen, prepared by Sisterhood od Temple Emanu-El, Mimi Hamel Collection

Black and white illustrated cookbook cover titled “Eater’s Digest” with people enjoying food, spiral bound with red spine. — Menorah, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Teacup with gold handle and matching saucer, featuring sketch of a man and signatures, against a black background. — Tea Cup Gifted to Hugh Carney for his Dedicated Service to Sanger Bros., Hugh Carney Collection

White bake oven dish with orange floral design, lid beside it, on black fabric. Label describes floral motif and the collection. — Bake Oven Dish with Orange Floral Motif, Harriet Gross Collection

A large knife with a wooden handle rests in an open wooden box against a black background. — Sakin or Chalef Used for Shechita, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Cover of a book titled “A Taste from Honey and Other Treats,” collected and retold by Herbert Shore, 1995. — “A Taste From Honey…” Compiled by Herbert Shore, Miriam & Al Creemer Collection

A label describes the history of a Jewish chopped liver recipe, mentioning several family names and addresses. — Wooden Bowl and Handheld Chopper (pre-existing interpretive label), Ornish Collection

Cartoon of a man and woman cleaning dishes and sweeping, with Hebrew text above and below them, on a white tile. — Decorative Tile, Miriam & Al Creemer Collection

Brass menorah with seven textured, twisted branches on a rectangular base, set against a black background. — Menorah, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Two old knives with worn blades and wooden handles, lying next to a weathered leather sheath on a black surface. — Pair of Small Kitchen Knives with Leather Sheath, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A curved, narrow knife with a wooden handle and three rivets, lying on a black fabric background. — Knife Used in Kosher Meat Preparation, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

A large, old kitchen knife with a wooden handle and a slightly curved, worn blade on a black background. — Knife Used in Kosher Meat Preparation, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

Two mezzaluna knives with wooden handles and curved blades are placed on a black surface. — Pair of Handheld Choppers, Phil Smith Collection

Glass-bottomed Tankard, Jewish Welfare Federation, 1969 Campaign, Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection