Quick Facts

Exhibit Opening: “B is for Belonging”
Date: Sunday, Sept. 14
Time: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturdays, noon - 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays
Place: Minnesota History Center, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul
Cost: Free



HISTORY CENTER EXHIBIT DOCUMENTS POST-WAR JEWISH TEEN LIFE IN THE TWIN CITIES

The newest addition to the Minnesota History Center’s “Minnesota A to Z” exhibit is “B is for Belonging: Jewish Teen Life in the Twin Cities, 1945-70,” on display beginning Sept. 14. A collaboration between the Minnesota Historical Society and the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest, it comprises keepsakes, photographs, and stories from the Jewish community that document memories of their teen years in the Twin Cities, and in particular, the activities of the many youth groups of the era.


An “Empress Queen” tiara, skit costumes, basketball uniforms, athletic jackets, trophies, souvenirs and formalwear from “mixers” and dances, club memorabilia, scrapbooks, autograph and photograph albums, song sheets and much more will be displayed. These objects, and the memories that go along with them, will form the core of the exhibit.


In the post-World War II Twin Cities, an era of entrenched anti-Semitism was drawing to a close. Movement to nearby suburbs had begun, but synagogues were still rooted in old neighborhoods. Judaism was now seen as one of the great American faiths rather than a manifestation of a particular ethnicity. Jewish youth in the Twin Cities joined organizations intent on shaping the next generation of community leaders – in a literal sense, containing them within their own religious and ethnic groups.


Pre-teens could begin their Jewish journey by joining such organizations as Young Judea, Habonim, Hillel and B’nai Brith. The foremost goal of these organizations was bringing together Jewish youth to socialize with each other at meetings, mixers and formal dances, as well as at regional and national conventions. The organizations were, in effect, a youthful counterpart of adult religious and social spheres. Youth groups were intended to provide a world in which Jewish youth would socialize and learn together, as was expected, marry each other.


The “B is for Belonging” exhibit will be on display through August 2004.


The Minnesota History Center is located at 345 Kellogg Blvd. W. in St. Paul. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free. Auxiliary aids and services are available with advance notice. For more information, call 651-296-6126, 1-800-657-3773 or TTY 651-282-6073.


The Society’s calendar of events is posted on the Internet at www.mnhs.org. The web site also has information about all of the Society’s programs and historic sites.



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