Museum & Archives - Exhibits

Little Things Mean A Lot

Little Things Mean A Lot, was a song co-written by Edith Lindeman Calisch, daughter-in-law of Edward Nathan Calisch, the longest serving rabbi at Beth Ahabah from 1891 to 1945.  The song was initially recorded by a popular artist of the time, Kitty Kallen in 1953.

Little Things Mean A Lot is the theme of this year’s exhibit.  Among the artifacts on display are a small megillah scroll with a handmade olive wood case containing the biblical story of Queen Esther, a fork with a scandalous history, a humorous ad from a match maker, and a miniature ark use by one of our congregants during field operations in WWII.

Presiding over the exhibition is a portrait of Cecilia Levy who emigrated to Virginia from Germany in the 19^th century.  The portrait dates from 1863 and depicts an elegant woman in a satin and lace dress.

  Chai Lights 

  Our collection is a living history with many stories to tell. This exhibit presents 18 of those      stories highlighting the Jewish experience in Richmond, VA and surrounding areas        throughout history. These stories include Jewish individuals, families, and organizations. 

  This exhibit is the inspiration of Bonnie Eisenman and Amy Roberts and is dedicated to           them for their many years of service to the Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives. 

Commonwealth and Community: The Jewish Experience in Virginia

The history of the Jews of Virginia is detailed in this comprehensive exhibition. It begins with the Jews who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh on his expeditions, and follows the stories of Jews who lived in Virginia during the Colonial period, through the Civil War and Reconstruction, enduring two World Wars and rejoicing in the founding of the State of Israel.

This exhibition was originally mounted in cooperation with the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond and the Virginia Historical Society. It was later updated and reinstalled at Beth Ahabah Museum & Archives.