Miami, U.S.A. – The Jewish Museum of Florida, a historical museum located on Miami Beach, has become part of the Florida International University family through a gift that will create a unique partnership. The Museum will now be known as the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU (JMOF-FIU).

The Florida International University’s Board of Trustees voted June 29 to approve the gift, which will leverage the resources of both institutions, igniting a new era of interdisciplinary education, research and outreach focused on the history of the Jewish experience in Florida and issues of discrimination against all peoples in Florida throughout history.

Authorization to use the Jewish Museum of Florida- Florida International University as a special purpose center is still pending approval by the Florida Board of Governors.

This hallmark gift includes two adjacent Art Deco buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as The Museum’s historical collections, research library, endowment and other assets.

“There’s an immense richness of research housed within The Museum that explores 250 years of Jewish art, culture and history,” said Florida International University President Mark B. Rosenberg. “Through this generous gift, FIU will expand our reach into the South Florida community, helping to preserve an important part of our history while enhancing the global learning experience we offer our students.”

A key component of the academic plan for the JMOF-FIU is the relocation of a variety of programs, including the Judaic Studies Program, to The Museum’s facilities. The plan also includes the expansion of academic programs and research endeavors about the challenges of the immigrant experiences shared by all ethnicities in the state of Florida.

“Our synergy and mutual commitment to exploring the richness and diversity of Jewish life in Florida makes this a perfect match,” said Jo Ann Arnowitz, executive director and chief curator of The Museum.

Image Courtesy of  Jewish Museum of Florida

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The Center for Jewish History is pleased to announce a $2.5 million gift from The David Berg Foundation to establish The David Berg Rare Book Room.  This contribution will enable the Center and its partners to realize their longstanding goal of creating a public space that showcases and preserves some of the most important works in Jewish history.

“We are incredibly grateful to The David Berg Foundation for its unwavering commitment to the Center for Jewish History,” says Michael S. Glickman, chief operating officer of the Center. “It is only because of friends like this that the Center is able to ensure that Jewish history remains vibrant—as well as relevant—in today’s world. This rare book room will be part of David Berg’s legacy as an ardent supporter of the Jewish people and their history.”

The room will provide the Center’s partners — American Jewish Historical Society, American Sephardi Federation, Leo Baeck Institute, Yeshiva University Museum, and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research — with a state-of-the-art facility in which to house some of their most important printed materials, including seminal first editions and a cross-section of rabbinical literature, Jewish philosophy, and intellectual history that dates back hundreds of years.

Scheduled to open this fall, the public will be able to visit The David Berg Rare Book Room six days a week, reinforcing the Center’s commitment to making information and history available to the thousands of people who visit each year. This glass-enclosed, high-security space—situated adjacent to the Paul S. and Sylvia Steinberg Great Hall and the Collection Management & Conservation Wing—will use the latest technology to display and protect the works that have helped establish the Center as a preeminent home for Jewish scholarship.

“Our core mission is to preserve, protect, and present the treasured collections of our partners,” says Center Co-Chairman William A. Ackman. “This project elevates our ability to showcase important works, and we are grateful to The David Berg Foundation and its trustees for this tremendous opportunity.”

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