Past Exhibition
February 5 — June 4, 2006
Bessie and Harry Levy at the entrance to Grossinger's, c. 1950.
Gift of Jerry and Harriet Schunick JMM 1997.122.36a
The Other Promised Land evokes the experience of Jewish vacationing from the 1880s to the present. Through historical objects, recreated vacation environments, and media displays, visitors can explore legendary Jewish vacation destinations, such as Miami Beach, Atlantic City, and the Catskills, while learning how vacations to these places expressed the excitement and promise of America and shaped notions of Jewish identity.
The Other Promised Land was curated by the Jewish Museum of Maryland. At Spertus it is supplemented with Midwestern vacation memorabilia from Jewish Chicagoans.
Sophie Coffler vacationing along the Lake Michigan shore with family and friends
Did your vacation dreams come true at Fidelman's or Schwartz’s? Did your family spend a few glorious weeks in Sheridan Beach or Benton Harbor each summer? Take a trip down memory lane as the Spertus Museum recalls the heyday of Chicago’s own Jewish resort era. The Other Promised Land includes a special display of photographs, souvenirs, and memorabilia from classic Great Lakes Jewish getaways like South Haven, Michigan City, Nippersink and more.
Generous support for this exhibition provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.