Open, affirming & diverse
The gay-inclusive spirit of the Contemporary Jewish Museum
Published 05/13/2010
by David Alex Nahmod
http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=general&article=121Some people talk about diversity. Some people implement it. To my knowledge, San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) has yet to issue press releases about celebrating diversity or being inclusive. Instead, quietly and without fanfare, the museum's small but stately building on Mission between 3rd & 4th Streets in downtown San Francisco has established itself as a place that's open and welcoming to all.
Being Jewish: A Bay Area Portrait is a permanent exhibit off the museum's main lobby. It's a simple exhibit: a giant collage of family photos that were provided by the local Jewish community. As you peruse the pictures of Bar Mitzvahs and Passover Seders, your eyes fall upon an unforgettable wedding photo: two women saying their "I Do"s as a third woman, their rabbi, officiates. A little to the left of this lovely image hangs a picture of two men, smiling and leaning into each other as couples often do. One is white, the other black. Nothing has been done to draw attention to these two photos – they're simply there, presented as part of the Bay Area's Jewish tapestry.
