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The Mishkan Or Museum houses one of the finest collections of Jewish ritual objects in the USA, supported by a collection of modern and contemporary fine art focusing on Jewish subjects. The Museum houses over 2,500 objects that span 500 years of Jewish cultures from all over the world. In addition, our Museum offers engaging programs and exhibitions through the year.
Our Judaica masterpieces include a rare, decorated 1551 marriage contract (ketubah) from the Cairo Geniza in Egypt, an exceptional group of 8 Torah Ark curtains from 18th-19th centuries’ Europe and the Middle East, a unique 1856 miniature silver Torah ark from Ukraine among many others. The excellence of our collection has been recognized recently by the Cleveland Museum of Art that elected to borrow objects from us to enrich their display, including the extremely high-profile exhibition “Africa and Byzantium” that was conceived in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
The collection of fine art includes works by acclaimed artists Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol, Jacques Lipshitz and Izidor Kaufman. The collection also includes works by Arthur Szyk, an extraordinary Polish American graphic artist renowned for his anti-Nazi caricatures and book art. Mishkan Or’s Jack and Lilyan Mandel Building is the home of the Szyk memorial windows from 1947.
Congregation Mishkan Or in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and Gallery Har-El, Tel Aviv
Memory: Moshe Gershuni
Sept. 21, 2025 – Feb. 22, 2026
Co-curated by Matthew Garson and Katya Oicherman.
Moshe Gershuni (1936-2017), among the most significant Israeli artists, was born in Tel Aviv to Polish-Jewish parents. His passionate and deeply personal work reflects the challenges of Israeli life, often addressing grief and memory. Gershuni blends many cultural and historical references, including Jewish and Christian religious ideas and the Holocaust.
View “Kaddish”, a magnificent 1997 portfolio illustrating the homonymous poem written by the American Jewish beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) on the death of his mother. The portfolio includes 24 images screen-printed on goldleaf next to the original text with Hebrew translation by the eminent Israeli poet Natan Zach. 6 beautiful large-scale prints created in 2000s with similar visual themes are also on view.
Realized through the collaboration of the Cleveland Israel Arts Connection of the Jewish Federation and Mishkan Or Museum, the exhibition will be simultaneously presented at the Jewish Federation and Congregation Mishkan Or with different parts of the portfolio displayed at the two locations. Accompanying events are planned across the city of Cleveland through multi-cultural partnerships with CWRU Siegal Lifelong Learning, The Maltz Museum, Waterloo Arts, Zygote Press, Literary Cleveland, Cleveland Public Theatre and Día de Muertos Ohio.
The Mishkan Or Museum (formerly Temple Museum of Jewish Art, Religion and Culture) is among the oldest synagogal museums in the USA. It was established by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver in 1950 to celebrate Jewish material culture, elevate the everyday ritual experience and educate the congregation. From the onset Rabbi Silver included modern art, realizing the importance of up-to-date aesthetic expression for a truly deep congregational life. Over time the collection grew through dedicated purchases initiated by the Museum Committee as well as through donations. In 2024, with The Temple-Tifereth Israel and Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple congregations’ merger, the Museum received the exquisite Olyn and Joseph B. Horwitz collection of Judaica which furthers its position of excellence on the national and international scene of Jewish cultural institutions.
The original Museum location was The Temple-Tifereth Israel building in University Circle, currently the Maltz Performing Arts Centre. The Museum moved to Beachwood in 2006 when our Judaica Gallery at the Maltz Museum opened its doors to the public. The Hartzmark Gallery for temporary exhibits was added in 2016.
The Museum is a member of the American Aliance of Museums, the Council of American Jewish Museums and the Northeastern Ohio Inter-Museum Council.
Our Museum Committee addresses the accession of objects, research, hands-on help, guided tours and programming.
Object Donations – Currently the Museum is not actively seeking donations of ritual objets or art. For any questions about a donation of objects or art, please contact the Museum Director here. Please do not leave any objects or artwork at Congregation Mishkan Or without prior arrangement with the Museum Director here.
Museum’s exhibition spaces are divided between the Mishkan Or building that houses the Hartzmark Gallery for temporary exhibits and The Judaica Gallery at the Maltz Museum.
For members of Mishkan Or:
Our museum is open to congregants during the building’s open hours.
Members of general public are invited to view the museum by appointment.
For appointments or other questions, please contact our museum director Katya Oicherman Koicherman@mishkanor.org or 216-455-1697 (Tue-Wed-Thu)
Tuesdays through Sundays: 11:00am – 5:00pm (Free access to the Gallery within the Maltz Museum for members of Mishkan Or)
2929 Richmond Road
Beachwood, OH 44122
Katya Oicherman, Museum Director
Email: KOicherman@mishkanor.org
Telephone: (216) 455-1697