Ethnographic Museums in Israel - Paperback

by Ruth Kark (Author), Noam Perry (Author)

Ethnographic Museums in Israel focuses on a new dimension of the Israeli museological landscape. Since the 1970s, Jewish ethnic groups that were dissatisfied with the way large-scale museums had displayed (or ignored) their heritage, began to erect museums dedicated to their own cultures. These include museums dedicated exclusively to the cultural heritages of the Jews of Germany, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Yemen, depicting the "glorious past" of these ethnic groups. In parallel, Arab (including Bedouin), Druze, and Circassian minorities of Israel and Palestinians began creating museums that challenge the narrative portrayed in the museums of Jewish settlement and highlight their own cultural heritage. Taken as a whole, these museums and heritage centers portray the ethnic diversity of Israeli society and preserve this diverse cultural heritage for future generations.

Author Biography

Noam Perry teaches human rights at the San José State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University, a M.A. in Geography, Planning and Environment, with a focus in historical geography, and a B.Sc. in Physics and the Humanities, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ruth Kark is a Professor of Historical Geography at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has written and edited 25 books and 200 articles on the history and historical geography of Palestine/ The Holy Land/Israel.