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Has anyone been to this new museum in DC? Is it (or at least the Old Testament portions) appropriate for frum Yidden? On another related topic – has anyone been to the Mishkan exhibition in Lancaster PA?
Old Testament
Just as a point of note, it’s probably best not to use the term “Old Testament” in reference to the Tanach, as the term implies a “New Testament” which we, as Jews, don’t accept.
A far better term to use would be “Tanach” or, when speaking with those who would not be familiar with that term, the “Hebrew Bible” or “Jewish Bible.”
The Wolf
Sounds like Christian Bible.
Some of us may remember Ginn books; one of the early publishers of pre-school and elementary school primers and readers. Well. . .
To expand their readership (i.e. customer base) and therefore their profit margins, they offered to customize their books for various groups. The story line remained the same, but priest could be changed to minister, pastor, or rabbi. Church could be changed to temple, sanctuary, or synagogue. Names could be changed from Dick and Jane to Paul and Mary, or even Pinchas and Miriam. And so on.
When they approached the Satmar community, the latter turned down their generous offer. They explained there is nothing about a brother and his sister and their pet dog playing ball together in the park on Sunday morning which can be translated/transformed into a Jewish book.
Nothing about, even the new testament, as displayed/depicted in the Bible Museum, could possibly express Ratzon HaShem or any of the depth of our TaNa”CH. Nothing!I found it an interesting experience and one of contrasts. They clearly ar focused on reinforcing the linkages between modern Christian belief and its roots in what they call the Old Testament. They have collected moe Judaica tha I’ve seen anywhere in the world other than the Hebrew Museum in EY. Literally dozens of sifrei troah (some hundreds of years old) from all over the world (and a frum sofer from EY writing a new sefer real time as part of the Exhbiti) . If your able to deal with it, the goyishe parts fo the museum are interesting but nothing really new (skip the animated exhibits and videos). If you call in advance, they can arrange for prepackaged kosher lunches with hashgacha from a local vaad tht are served in huge cafteria. (there is also a kosher foodtruck parked on the nearby mall a few days a week). Allow about 2–3 hours mimimum (if you intend to skoip over the goyeshe exhibits. Also, come later in the day when the christian school groups have generally fiished their guided tours. Skp the evening musical performance in the theatere., Its only about 5 or 6 bloks south of the Smithsonin Air and Space museum (just off the Mall). Definitiely worth the trip even for frum yidden. They clearly have us in min.
Shauli
You are making an argument that there is what to be gained from such a museum.
You mention an anecdote regarding Satmar and an elmentry scholl reader. Of course there is somethign to be gained from such a reader, namely practice reading English. no one community might feel that thsi beenfit is outweighed by the harmful exposures of ” brother and his sister and their pet dog playing ball together in the park on Sunday morning ” and instead prefer not to be proficent in English (or to use another method). but this doesnt mean that there is no benefit to said reader.Without question a museum that places Events from Tanach in context has the potential to be beneficial. Ive been to the Living Torah museum and definitely found it interesting and worthwhile. now obviously that doesnt make thsi museum ok. Im not familiar with it Obviously there isnt much to gain from a museum that is “reinforcing the linkages between modern Christian belief and its roots in what they call the Old Testament.” and if there is a gain it is likely yotze secharo behefsaido.
But to just write it off because of Satmer’s approach with a Reader isnt logical
I have not been to that museum, but according to published information about it, the organizers are devout Protestant X-ians who openly want to promote their interpretation of the Bible. Even among us Jews, there are lots of ways to interpret Tanakh, and X-ians interpret Tanakh as predicting their chosen savior. (Their savior is “chosen” only in one sense of the word.) The only reason for a frum Jew to visit the museum would be to find out how the X-ians come to their relgious view, and that is not a valid inquiry for a frum Jew.
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