Derfner Judaica Museum
History of the Museum
The Judaica Museum was founded in 1982 when Riverdale residents Ralph and Leuba Baum donated most of their collection of Jewish ceremonial art to the Hebrew Home. A refugee from Nazi persecution, Ralph Baum had an intense desire to preserve and pass on to future generations the memory embodied in the objects he and his wife collected, the majority of which were used primarily by European Jews before the Holocaust.
THE MUSEUM TODAY
Derfner Judaica Museum welcomes visitors and researchers to its 5,000-square-foot exhibition space located on the main floor of the Jacob Reingold Pavilion at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale. The Museum is the focal point for a wide range of educational and exhibition programming for residents and visitors alike. In 2008 the Judaica Museum was named in honor of its benefactors, the late Helen and Harold Derfner.
CHANGING EXHIBITIONS
Rotating exhibitions can be seen throughout the year. These engaging exhibitions feature contemporary artists, explore themes drawn from the permanent collection or highlight Jewish art and culture.
For more information, please contact us at
art@hebrewhome.org or call 718.581.1596.