KEY AIMS

DELIVER UNIQUE BENEFITS TO OUR AUDIENCES AND COMMUNITIES

WORK TOWARDS FINANCIAL RESILIENCE

POSITIONCAPITALISE THE MUSEUM ON THE WELL SKILLS, INTO NETWORKS THE ‘NEW NORMAL’AND SYSTEMS WITHIN THE JEWISH MUSEUM LONDON

POSITION THE MUSEUM WELL INTO THE ‘NEW NORMAL’

LOCKDOWN IMPACT REPORT

March–August 2020 Contents

MEET THE TEAM 2 Meet the Team Change in Leadership at the Museum Welcome from Nick Viner, Chair of Trustees Trustees Staff Schools and

Teachers The last few months have been incredibly Jamie Beaumont challenging for all of us. I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to our staff Jonathan Gestetner 4 and to our Board who have worked with energy, enthusiasm and deep Lady Wendy Levene commitment to ensure we have been Nick Viner Virtual Tours able to thrive in this new environment. Becks Armstrong Lisa Shames Jemima Jarman Ron Shelley, MBE and Events I would also like to thank our funders Interim COO Senior Learning Consultant Collections who have stood by us to preserve Tali Krikler Manager Manager 6 the community’s collective history and heritage, and who have supported us in finding new ways to Tanya Persey enable engagement with our audiences. Livestreamed Thank you also to all our members, volunteers, and online visitors Events for remaining involved, encouraging and supportive. Volunteers I look forward to working alongside all of you as we move the 8 museum forward. The museum has over 100 committed Shereen Hunte Emma Crew Helen Atkinson volunteers who generously donate Learning Officer Engagement Officer Operations and Behind Welcome from Frances Jeens, Interim Director their time and expertise to the museum Finance Officer in a variety of ways. Volunteers help the Scenes us preserve the community’s heritage, enable access to collections and Although many of you know my passion support our education programmes for 11 for our museum already and have worked both young people and adults. Their alongside me these past eight years, support is invaluable to the museum. I have to say that stepping up into the new role of Interim Director during the UK Throughout lockdown we have lockdown has certainly been a challenge. continued to communicate with our Partnerships volunteer team, sending weekly activity Rhiannon Parkinson Eliana Mendelsohn Hannah Ziegler There have been many things to consider packs, launching our monthly volunteer Museum and Learning Assistant Intern from Action and work through but this Impact Report forums and organising engaging events. Operations Officer Reconciliation Service 14 shows our highlights and the positive for Peace International effect we are having on a daily basis with We have run 7 tours for our volunteers Programme (ARSP) our audiences. including a virtual volunteer trip to the Peace Museum, Bradford. At the beginning of lockdown I implemented a fast pivot of all our Next Steps programmes to the digital world. Within a week the team were livestreaming and by May we had launched our Virtual Classrooms 16 for schools. The new partnerships have been invigorating and the feedback has been extraordinary. We have engaged with over 40,000 THE MUSEUM HAS OVER people through these programmes in just five months and revealed objects that are usually kept in store.

My focus for the museum is to enable access to our world renowned collection in as many ways and to as many people as possible. Our new 100 project; The Object Lending Library will the first development on this road. COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS

I have always felt the museum is a community, and these past few months have shown that in ways I could never have imagined.

2 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 3 SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS Case Study Virtual Classrooms

Schools and teachers were our first priority as lockdown began. Name of Lead Teacher: Saima Year Group: Teachers immediately reached out to us asking for support in teaching Year 6 the curriculum in the new and challenging distance learning environment. Workshop info: Saima booked for her entire Year 6 The subjects we teach rely on students having the opportunity to directly class of 150 students to take part in engage with our learning team staff so our challenge was to launch a the Virtual Classrooms. They chose the workshop Torah: Synagogue and digital education service that enabled this core part of our learning values. Sacred Objects which covers the importance of the Torah as central to Jewish life, how it is treated, interpreted and beautified. Quotes from teachers Virtual Classrooms LIVE who used our resources What the school teachers said about the workshop We developed and launched our innovative Virtual Classrooms in May. 70% SECONDARY 600+ My pupils loved this workshop! It was both highly engaging as well as Our aim was to enable face to face really interesting! We were very impressed with the content: the pupils teaching between our staff and students. SCHOOLS AND 30% A good introduction to the Torah and saw and heard so many new things. It was all highly relevant and really The programme received large interest PRIMARY SCHOOLS “other sources of authority. Beneficial extended what the pupils already knew form their learning in class. with hundreds of students taking part TOOK PART for teachers teaching GCSE and want in the pilot programme between May to extend their knowledge beyond The session was engaging and interactive despite being a virtual and July. Through this platform we have WE FACILITATED LIVE SESSIONS TO OVER the curriculum. session over Zoom. The session leader interacted with the children continued with live delivery to students 600 STUDENTS BETWEEN MAY AND JULY ” really well, asked accessible questions and allowed all children to at both primary and secondary schools learn and make progress within the session. across the UK. The programme has proved so popular it is now a core part of OUR ONLINE TEACHING RESOURCES I really enjoyed the fact it was a virtual session – this could definitely our learning service and bookings have REACHED AN ESTIMATED Please continue these be the way forward as it takes away the cost of coaches and the need been taken for autumn term and beyond. even when COVID is over “ for risk assessments. as online CPD allows 20,000 600,000 more teachers to access! Learning Portal STUDENTS (THAT'S EVERY TEACHER ” What our Learning Team said about the workshop (built with generous funding REACHING 30 STUDENTS) The Virtual Classrooms have been the highlight of working from home. from KC Sasha Foundation) Where so much has changed due to COVID-19, it has been lovely to have the opportunity to continue to connect with both Primary and NEARLY 20,000 TEACHERS The session clarified many Our Learning Portal for teachers and I thought Shereen was really nice and misconceptions I myself had as a Secondary students. Virtual workshops offer a great opportunity to USED OUR LEARNING PORTAL “ students was launched in 2018 thanks “happy. She told us that we could ask beginner teacher, and I was able continue to share our collection and have young people and their to generous funding from the KC any questions about Judaism and to access problematic pedagogy. teachers engage with it, whilst allowing them to feel safe and confident Sasha Foundation. At the beginning of the Torah and I got to ask 2 of mine. during this time. lockdown we invested time in creating Supporting Teachers She told me I had worked really hard ” new content and enabling new search and I felt proud I knew facts. As many of our workshops focus on Jewish festivals and special days, functions to support students with We wanted to support teachers with the Virtual Classrooms have come to honestly and authentically independent learning from home. both their professional learning (CPD) ” A well-paced, resource rich and represent Jewish ritual and religious life during the pandemic – where and their wellbeing during lockdown. opportunity to ask and receive many members of the community have also had to bring their Torah The portal hosts video, audio and object We learnt about the Torah and how it “ To do this we ran six sessions: answers to questions that text services, Shabbat meals, and Seders to a virtual space. content entirely created and uploaded is all handwritten. I thought that they by our Learning Team. “ books or websites can’t answer. Learning Officer, Shereen • 2 for primary school teachers would print it but they have to do it all I liked the references to Jewish • 2 for secondary school teachers by themselves. I was shocked that it responses to COVID-19. During lockdown nearly 20,000 is written on the skin of an animal and teachers used the learning portal • 2 wellbeing sessions sometimes it’s a cow. Shereen told ” resources, breaking all previous Topics for the CPD sessions us about how it is written in Hebrew. records of engagement. Feedback included Shabbat, Pickuach Nefesh, I had tried writing in Hebrew at home from teachers showed that the Torah and Sources of Authority. and Shereen was so impressed. portal provided an authentic and Our wellbeing sessions were led trustworthy resource for their students ” by our Learning Team staff who to use at home. have been trained as Mental Health New Haw Community School’s Year 3 First Aiders by Jami (the Jewish students following their ‘Torah: Synagogue Community’s Mental Health Charity). and Sacred Objects’ Virtual Workshop

4 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 5 VIRTUAL TOURS AND EVENTS Case Study Black History Tours

Public Events Members Events What is the tour about? The Race in Religion: Black History We ran 11 incredibly successful over 12 different countries, each with We are very proud to have over 360 Tour seeks to reveal Black history and virtual public events during lockdown. a unique history. Objects used during Friends and Patrons as part of our Black Jewish history in the collection. These virtual events allowed us to these events included the 13th Century membership programme. Their From the role of ‘blackness’ in Holy engage with 738 people. The public Mikveh and contemporary photographs membership during this time has been Texts to some of the ancient Jewish events programme was vital in of the Jewish Community in Uganda. invaluable and supports the museum’s communities of Africa, the tour generating income, and all funds core work including the collections explores the many ways in which race raised during these events went to We chose to present a broad range of care of our 40,000 objects and our is portrayed through religion. Led by directly supporting the museum. exciting topics including the Medieval award-winning education provision. Learning Officer Shereen, attendees Jewish Community, Centuries of got the opportunity to learn and see We used the virtual events as an Migration, the Jewish East End, some of the rare and unique objects opportunity to explore the objects unusual Judaica, Race in the Torah in our collection through booked within our collection that came from and Black Jewish Communities. virtual tours. What’s the history behind these tours? What our audiences said The Learning Team began our first Black History Tours in 2017 and have run them every Black History month since, each year changing the focus That was really such an interesting 360 FRIENDS AND PATRONS Additionally we have organised reciprocal on both the objects and the presentation. Thank you so much. “ TOOK PART IN OUR virtual tours of other museums for our discussions. Following the murder of Your knowledge is amazing and it MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMME Friends and Patrons. We virtually visited George Floyd this summer we decided to integrate our Black History was beautifully presented. the Jewish Museum Milwaukee to learn tours into our general tour programme as opposed to delivering them ” about the Girl in the Diary Exhibition only in October, during Black History Month. and we also virtually visited St Paul’s We moved our members events virtual Cathedral to meet the artist Gerry We scheduled our first virtual Black History tour on Monday 27th July. at the beginning of lockdown and Judah to discuss his artwork on display. This happened to be the Monday after grime artist Wiley’s series of have since run 14 events exclusively antisemitic tweets. As a result, the tour picked up a lot of attention and I find it so much easier to learn history for Friends and Patrons. These have interest across the social media and press. At our first tour we “when it is presented like this rather included the Extended Object Talk live This special member’s event has welcomed 77 attendees, most of which had never attended a tour with than reading it in books – you really sessions on topics including Jewish “been so interesting and very the museum before. brought it alive. A lovely selection of Pedlars, Refugees from Nazi persecution enjoyable. A real treat whilst we objects to discuss. I am so glad that and Judaica depicting Aaron and Moses. were unable to visit you in person. the museum can continue to reach Friends and Patrons have joined us for ” people I this innovative way. previews of our tour programme including our Stories from the Stores ” tour where we peer behind the scenes Emma was extremely engaging, at objects currently in our stores. “and many could take lessons from her. The topic was covered broadly, and wasn’t rushed or cut short. Our speaker was both knowledgeable Presentation deserves and spoke very well. Thank you! “widespread reach – ” so much to learn.” So fascinating and informative. “Really happy you held this online tour. Thank you very much!” ATTENDEES77 AT OUR SINCE LOCKDOWN, WE HAVE FIRST VIRTUAL TOUR Thank you so much RUN 14 EVENTS EXCLUSIVELY “from New York! FOR FRIENDS AND PATRONS ”

6 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 7 LIVESTREAMED EVENTS

The first decision we made as lockdown started was to utilise the skills and experience of the Learning Team to take our engagement work digital.

We successfully launched a series of The items we discussed during the Weekly quiz THE WORLD’S LARGEST regularly scheduled livestreamed events, livestream included an 18th century EVER SEDER HAD 4,000 each one directed towards a core haggadah, prayer sundial, Kabbalistic Our Shabbat morning (Fridays) weekly PEOPLE ATTEND AND audience group. amulet, North African Rimmonim, WWII quiz was designed to be a more USED 100 GALLONS Nurses Cape, Yiddish Theatre Poster, informal way to share our collection OF RAISIN WINE! The whole programme was launched just Jews Free School Photographs, letters with audiences. We wanted to use one week after the lockdown started. 69 by Kindertransport Refugees and many our collection in a new way and more diverse objects. create a fun and relaxed regular event for both our volunteers and wider PEOPLE USED TO THINK WE LIVESTREAMED TALKS ON 69 We used these objects to look at a audiences. Teachers were a surprise 100 FROGS FELL TO EARTH OBJECTS WHICH IS STILL ONLY range of Jewish communities, including audience group who have used the English, Baghdadi, Indian, Adeni, FROM THE SKY 0.17% OF OUR COLLECTION! quizzes as a way to learn more about German, Austrian, Bukharanian, North the community as part of their CPD. 75 African and Tunisian. SPECIAL MILITARY Fun facts we learnt UNDERWEAR CAN BE through doing the quiz: WORN FOR 3 MONTHS Thank you for such an interesting and engaging “talk, I really enjoyed it and found it quite emotional. WE RELEASED A NEW VIDEO I also appreciated the sensitivity with which the THREE TIMES A WEEK. THERE talk was delivered. So special to hear about this man and his daughter, it reminded me of my Dad and I. OUR SECTION ON GREAT BRITISH HAVE NOW BEEN OVER 75 VIDEOS Thank you for prompting some special memories. JEWS WERE WATCHED BY CREATED SINCE MARCH. ”

Object Talks 4,935 PEOPLE AND HAS FEATURED: JUDITH KERR CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN NICHOLAS WINTON Our weekly live object talks were the heart of our new digital engagement plan. The Learning Team brought together research from across the museum and created a series of talks hosted via Facebook Live and then streamed to YouTube.

UK, USA, Israel, Italy, Germany, Brazil, SIR BEN HELFGOTT BEN ELTON JOSH WIDDECOMBE France, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Australia, Argentina, OUR OBJECT TALKS WERE Peru, Norway WATCHED BY

10,316 AMY WINEHOUSE JOAN COLLINS SHEILA VAN DAMM PEOPLE, ATTRACTING NEW AUDIENCES FROM ACROSS THE WORLD

8 Lockdown Impact Report 9 Livestreamed Events

BEHIND THE SCENES

Family Mornings Activity Packs The museum has been working incredibly hard behind the scenes on all Our family audience has been a focus It was really important to us to both keep the aspects that our audience rarely, if ever, see. This included the for the Learning Team for the past engaging with our core audiences, and 4 years so we were keen to make sure to support them during lockdown. This challenging nature of collections care during the initial very restrictive that we continued to engage with them included families, teachers, volunteers, during lockdown. We decided to create care homes, synagogues and cheders. lockdown measures and all the operational logistics of a building that and launch a weekly Sunday morning Weekly digital activity packs were has complex systems in place to regulate environmental controls to virtual family session that families could created individually for each of these either join in live or catch up with later. groups, and the response from them has ensure we uphold the excellent standards of collections preservation. We also partnered with our interfaith been overwhelming. partnerships to do facilitated workshops OUR ACTIVITY PACKS Collections Operations online and launched an Arts Award What our audience said: REACHED NEARLY summer holiday programme. During lockdown our curatorial consultant has Operations have been particularly challenging during answered over 100 collections requests. Many people lockdown. With only limited access to the museum around the world took the opportunity of lockdown building itself, we have had to put in updated and to deepen their research into their own family history remote systems across nearly all aspects of the

9,000 or academic interests. The museum enabled virtual operational management in order to uphold our access to objects, archives and photographs excellent standards. PEOPLE SINCE MARCH throughout lockdown. SUNDAY SESSION We migrated the accounting system from the Sage Our collections highlight during lockdown accounting package to Xero, and migrated the email was an email from John Schlapobersky: system from being server-based to Microsoft365.

Thank you so much for this beautiful contribution to boost our intellectual John Schlapobersky’s Bible (held at the museum on We also needed to create a digital hub for the team 9,435 “& mental wellbeing, I enjoyed reading your newsletter. We are encouraged long term loan) was the only personal object he was to stay connected and communicate whilst we are WATCHED THESE VIDEOS to exercise our muscles during this lock-down but we should also be just allowed, whilst in prison for demonstrating against working remotely as the team relies on partnership as much encouraged to exercise our ‘little grey cells’! Your newsletter the apartheid regime in South Africa. He used the working for all our programmes. To help with remote certainly does this thanks for keeping in touch with so many interesting Bible not only to record his time there, but also working we’re also improving the filing system for the materials and ideas – been great to share some with grandchildren to to find messages of hope and inspiration from both online shared drive. We were aware that not everyone could have a shared experience whilst we are apart. the New and Old Testaments. access arts and craft materials during In order to be able to make decisions in a fast paced lockdown so our team worked hard to ” Shereen (Learning officer) recently used this object and ever changing situation we have been creating only include items you could find in in her public talk with the theme of ‘coming together’. monthly detailed cash flows, negotiating and the home. We showed families how We were delighted to hear from John Schlapobersky, where possible and improving supplier contracts, to be creative with materials to create who sent us a lovely email thanking the Museum, and amending the previous invoice processing and their own Torah scroll, make their own and in particular Shereen, for the great work we do and improving supplier relations. Shavuot cheesecake and using just for using his Bible to illustrate the theme of ‘coming paper, a hole punch, string and colours Social Media 254 NEW FOLLOWERS AND together’ during the period of lockdown. We’ve also been working hard on all aspects of health children were able to be inspired by and safety for access to the museum including the the amulets in the collections to make Before lockdown our tweets reached participation in the track and trace system. To begin their own. an average of 5,600 people, but during with for staff and priority researchers and now we are lockdown our highest rated tweet looking towards a phased reopening to priority groups reached over 27,463 people. We’ve 198 and public access. welcomed hundreds of new followers on Facebook and Twitter, and have seen engagement rise with our DURING LOCKDOWN livestreamed events on these channels. OUR CURATORIAL The Learning Team got to grips with all CONSULTANT HAS the new platforms, livestreaming from ANSWERED OVER Zoom to Facebook live, all while using only in-house skills, and within a week of lockdown. We also used Facebook NEW PAGE LIKES ON FACEBOOK analytics to help us monitor our SINCE MUSEUM LOCKDOWN audience engagement and modify our 100 (17/03/2020) approach accordingly. COLLECTIONS REQUESTS

10 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 11 Behind the Scenes

Case Study Case Study Operations – Object Lending Library; moving from An Accessible Collection Strategic Planning The museum’s new interim Director, Frances, KEY AIMS OF implemented, at the start of the lockdown the Sage to Xero engagement plan and later full Engagement THE PROECT Model which capitalised on our expertise in creating Objective a digitally led learning service. In this case learning To decrease costs and complexity of our accounting processes. is the broadest sense of the word, including not only schools but also adult learners, researchers, Background and the general public interested in engaging with The museum had been using the Sage accounting platform for object talks and tours. our accounting, bookkeeping and reporting for many years. This ENABLE A NEW sophisticated software is an enterprise level system (usually for PATHWAY OF EASY Implementation of the model was carried out within 100+ staff) and therefore an expensive and complex platform to use. the first three months of lockdown in order to ensure ACCESS TO THE we were financially resilient and delivering unique Following the implementation of the Engagement Model we COLLECTION WITH public benefit to our audiences. The Engagement reviewed the needs of the museum and it was decided to OBJECT LOANS TO Model will take us through to a phased reopening of migrate over to Xero. The Xero platform is for organisations COMMUNITY PARTNERS the museum building itself whilst the Board and Staff of a similar size to the museum. The system is flexible, more INDIVIDUALS work on the next stages of our strategic planning. cost efficient to access and also simpler and quicker for the AND FAMILIES bookkeeping needs. Fundraising Covid-19 has brought with it a scale of financial Process challenges not experienced before. Both the museum The decision was made to migrate over to Xero on the 1st April and heritage sector and Jewish charity sector has found 2020 which is the start of the Museum’s new financial year. itself in new territory and had to work hard and fast. We worked through with our accountants what the current Our primary responsibility is to always ensure that the Chart of Accounts was and what would be needed for reporting What is the project? collection that the Jewish community has collectively in the future. We created a new chart of accounts that fulfilled Encouraging engagement with the collection has been the heart of our lockdown IMPROVE DEEPER identified as core to our identity and heritage is our needs and worked to update the coding for any invoices programming. The museum’s interim Director, Frances, worked up a bid to the Esmeé RELATIONSHIPS WITH preserved and protected. Our secondary responsibility paid after this date. Fairbairn Foundation to pilot a project involving the creation of an Object Lending Library, COMMUNITY PARTNERS enabling us to make our collection accessible in completely new ways to the wider is to ensure that this world-leading collection is not SUCH AS SYNAGOGUES, just kept behind closed doors. Opening the collections Due to the more flexible nature of Xero we were also able community. This funding bid was successful and we were pleased to announce the OTHER MUSEUMS AND and encouraging access and engagement is the heart to change the payment process to make it a more automated project in July with a start date of October. of what we have endeavoured to do during the system for coding, authorising and sending invoices due to a COMMUNITY GROUPS lockdown period. bookkeeping app called iCompleat. We are also able to modify What will the project do? any identified errors quickly and easily with Xero to lower any This year-long funding enables the museum to create a pathway for all individuals, The landscape remains extremely challenging and issues we would have with the end of year accounts. groups and organisations who want to borrow an object for a specific event. We want the museum is working hard to fundraise to ensure to connect communities to shared heritage and history and focus on how we can use our priorities do not waiver. We are extremely grateful Outcome physical objects at a time when digital became our default. to our funders, both previous and new, who have The change of accounting system has saved the museum over stood with the museum to support us. Our funders £16,000 yearly in platform and accounting services, which The funding has also enabled us to hire a Collections Engagement Manager to lead include Foundations and Trusts and as well as achieves the objective of the change. the project and start building new partnerships. This new post will be responsible WIDEN THE MUSEUM’S individual donors and Arts Council England. for responding to themes, festivals, and events that can integrate with our collection, AUDIENCE, AND The change of platform has as well as the process of safely and securely lending and receiving these loans through INCREASE DIVERSITY Fundraising continues to be a priority for the museum meant that the internal £16,000 a new website platform creating an easy way for everyone to look at the object ready AND INCLUSION IN as we will continue to need support to deliver. systems for the tills in the to be loaned out to individuals, families and communities. THE PROCESS Museum has also needed to Funders change as the tills were linked Arts Council England John Lyon’s Charity to the Sage system. This has also saved the museum money National Lottery Acacia Trust due to the expensive nature Heritage Fund IN JULY WE ANNOUNCED OUR Association of Jewish of the Sage platform and SUCCESSFUL FUNDING GRANT Rothschild Foundation Refugees (AJR) associated integrations. Hanadiv Europe We are able to use a lighter WITH A FULL BACK PAGE SPREAD Rayne Foundation THE CHANGE OF IN THE JEWISH CHRONICLE. RAISE THE MUSEUM’S Kirsh Foundation and more streamlined and The Circles of Art integrated system that will ACCOUNTING SYSTEM PROFILE AS A PLACE Blavatnik Family be used for the tills as well as HAS SAVED THE MUSEUM FOR THE COMMUNITY Foundation AJEX the website which was run on OVER £16,000 YEARLY TO ENGAGE AND Esmée Fairbairn Generous Private Donors separate systems previously. ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE Foundation

12 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 13 PARTNERSHIPS NEXT STEPS

As part of the Engagement Model partnerships have been The lockdown period has been a focus for the museum both during lockdown and beyond. an extremely challenging time for the museum but has We have partnered with different museums To mark Yom HaShoah we partnered with Knowledge Quarter also enabled new partnerships, across the world to deliver engaging tours. On 19th August 2020, the creative network As part of the Jewish Museums Across the Knowledge Quarter hosted the ‘KQ Virtual new ways of working and Seas Programme we partnered with Private View: Hebrew Manuscripts with the British Library’ Event. Jewish Museum London’s new programmes. We have Senior Learning Manager, Lisa Shames, joined the Q&A realised our expertise in digital discussion, sharing her insight on the role of the Hebrew language within the Jewish world, and museum sector. programming and welcomed to deliver a live event for Yom over 40,000 people from all over HaShoah UK’s online programme of events. Baltimore Jewish Times the world in just five months. Baltimore Jewish Times reported on our recent partnership with the Jewish Museum of Maryland, in which we gave We partnered with the British a virtual presentation detailing the Jewish Community’s The museum will continue to change and flex with history in Britain. The trans-Atlantic museum partnership the environment, particularly over the coming autumn Library and the launch of their and winter. Our phased reopening plan will enable Hebrew Manuscript’s Exhibition was a great success, and we were thrilled to see the event picked up by international press. the museum to open to priority pre-booked groups with our Senior Learning Manager including schools, researchers and accessibility being invited on the Panel for their groups. Our operations planning for safely reopening virtual private view. to these priority public audiences aims to be complete We have also partnered with for October so we can begin by welcoming schools. The museum takes our responsibility to staff, volunteers and public safety very seriously and therefore we are taking our time to get things in place. The next months will bring new challenges but the museum is ready to In partnership with GEM meet them. our interim director Thank you to everyone who has supported the museum delivered CPD sessions during the lockdown period, through membership, to over 350 museum funding, attendance at our events and volunteering. professionals on our launch of our Virtual The museum is a community and we are grateful to Classrooms programme. each and every person who chooses to be a part of ours.

to organise virtual talks. Museum Association For the month of September, Museum Journal, the leading journal Board of Deputies of British Jews – for information for Hidden Treasures WE WELCOMED OVER museums, galleries and We partnered with the Board of Deputies of British heritage sites, featured Jews for their project called Hidden Treasures; an article written by the museum’s Learning Officer, celebrating Jewish archives in Britain. This project aims Shereen Hunte. In line with the Museum Journal’s to raise the profile of and showcase Jewish archives that We partnered with Westminster Abbey twice to September theme of Anti-Racism work in museums, tell the story of Jews in Britain from across the sector. deliver activities as part of their virtual family 40,000 Hunte wrote of the Museum’s Black History Our collection now features on their website as an programme. Also involved in these family days Programme, including the Museum’s Race in Religion: important part of this showcase of British Jewish history. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE were the Garden Museum, London Museum Black History Tours, the Abayudaya: Jews of Uganda WORLD IN JUST FIVE MONTHS of Water and Steam, the Horniman Museum Exhibition and Diversity in the Community stream of and St Paul’s Cathedral. learning workshops.

14 Lockdown Impact Report jewishmuseum.org.uk 15

BOOK WITH OBJECT LOAN BOXES CONFIDENCEOUTREACH VISITS

VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS

MUSEUM WORKSHOPS

SUPPORT THE MUSEUM

Shana Tova! As we welcome the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, we ask for your support to help us both preserve the community’s history and heritage and continue the award-winning learning work we do through our collections.

The Covid-19 lockdown has had a huge Our staff have worked tirelessly since impact on the museum and whilst our doors March pivoting our programmes to are still physically closed we have been deliver to our audiences and are now hard at work creating new virtual platforms working to reopen our museum building and an array of enjoyable and insightful to priority groups. programmes to continue our mission. If you would like to support the museum Behind the scenes we have been both in continuing our virtual work and continuing to answer research requests in phasing the reopening of the musuem into our collection as well as maintaining building itself then please donate below. excellent standards of collections care to our over 40,000 objects.

www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/support-us/make-a-donation-rosh-hashanah

The Jewish Museum [email protected] Registered limited company no 2655110, England and Wales Raymond Burton House Registered Charity no 1009819 VAT registration no. 115 1152 66 129–131 Albert Street Accredited Museum no 31 Camden Town London NW1 7NB @JewishMuseumLDN Design: Toffee Design Limited, www.toffee-design.com