Jews in the American Military The NMAJMH's Core Exhibit

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History's new permanent core exhibition will serve a variety of educational purposes: recognizing and celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of men and women; serving as the institutional memory of a group of people who share common experiences or a common history; and helping to strengthen the emotional link between the living and their ancestors. It is with all of these goals in mind that Quatrefoil Associates has developed a strategic plan for the NMAJMH that fully embraces the existing mission and purpose of the Museum while drawing directly from the principles articulated in the Preamble to the Constitution of the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.

The Museum's new exhibition will be designed around the broad theme of Americanism, a concept that dates from the late 19th century and has relevance today. Americanism was popularized by President Theodore Roosevelt and embraced by the JWV in the Preamble to the Constitution of the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., which explicitly states, among its purposes, "to foster and promote true Americanism."

President Roosevelt defined Americanism as "a question of spirit, conviction, and purpose," answered by loyalty to the United States: "Above all we must stand shoulder to shoulder, not asking as to the ancestry or creed of our comrades, but only demanding that they be in very truth Americans, and that we all work together, heart, hand, and head, for the honor and greatness of our common country."

The NMAJMH's exhibition will use narrative, images, artifacts, and multimedia to explore the contributions of Jews to the defense and security of the United States by interweaving stories of the personal, national, and organizational (the JWV). Visitors will be encouraged to reflect on the military service of their ancestors and living relatives, and consider the contemporary relevance of Americanism.

Would you like to support the NMAJMH's mission and donate to the permanent core exhibition fund? Your contribution makes a major difference in helping the National Museum of American Jewish Military History to present high quality exhibits and programs interpreting the contributions of the men and women of the Jewish faith in the U.S. armed forces to the community.