Announcing Re:collection, a New Digital Platform for Preserving and Sharing Family Stories that Illustrate Jewish Life in America

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) announces the launch of Re:collection, an online and mobile experience that makes it possible for the public to collect, preserve, and share personal stories and family memories that illustrate Jewish life in America. Created by NMAJH in collaboration with Oakland-based technology company Enwoven, Re:collection expands the Museum's mission beyond its four walls. It is a powerful tool for connecting Jews more closely to their heritage and inspiring in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American experience.

The public is invited to sign up for free at recollection.nmajh.org to create dynamic narratives, find connections, or simply peruse content. By doing so, they will be playing an important role in expanding the ongoing, evolving tapestry of American Jewish life.

Ivy Barsky, the Museum's CEO and Gwen Goodman Director, said, "When you share history, you make history. The pictures on your mantel, the candlesticks brought to America by your grandparents, precious letters and recipes—your personal items help characterize our nation's identity. They will have a safe home within Re:collection."

Re:collection is not simply a family tree or a photo album. It is a cutting-edge digital platform overseen by a Smithsonian Affiliate museum that allows users to preserve and share their stories in a number of compelling ways:

• Share the history hiding in your photos through multimedia files, text, audio descriptions, timelines, and maps. Privacy settings are completely customizable.
• Start by contributing a single photo or memory to public Community Projects on certain themes, such as food or immigration, or create your own personal Project.
• Invite family members to collaborate on your Project, and interact with others through Tags, Likes, Comments, and Follows.
• Connect with the only museum exploring more than 360 years of Jewish life in America.

To create Re:collection, NMAJH collaborated with Enwoven (formerly The History Project), who has built an online platform for storytelling. NMAJH is the first museum to partner with Enwoven, joining other notable Enwoven partners such as the New York Times, Associated Press, and Reebok.

Visit recollection.nmajh.org to view a short intro video, sign up, and explore content.

Re:collection is supported by The Robert Saligman Charitable Trust, AlkemyX, the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation, and the Clayman Family Foundation.

About the National Museum of American Jewish History
Located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, the National Museum of American Jewish History brings to life the more than 360-year history of Jews in America, tracing the stories of how Jewish immigrants became Jewish Americans. Through educational programs, special exhibitions, and a core exhibition drawing on a collection of more than 30,000 artifacts, the Museum invites visitors of all backgrounds to reflect on how their identities shape and are shaped by the American experience. NMAJH.org

SOURCE National Museum of American Jewish History

Related Links

http://recollection.nmajh.org