Whether set against the backdrop of the seaside, the mountains, or the countryside – vacations have often been microcosms of the Jewish American dream. Destinations such as Florida, the Catskills, Atlantic City, and sites of Jewish heritage became temporary communities of like-minded people and while some vacations were pursuits of abundance, others were havens from discrimination, and others emphasized Jewish ideologies and traditions. All expressed the excitement and promise of America, and the changing Jewish-American dream. The history of Jewish vacationing provides a glimpse into Jewish values – past and present.
This exhibition was curated by the Jewish Museum of Maryland, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Support for the New York venue provided, in part, by The Robert Sillins Family Foundation. Media sponsorship provided by The New Jersey Jewish Standard, New Jersey’s oldest independent English language Jewish newspaper.