Welcome to The Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative (BJHI)
Welcome to The Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative (BJHI). We maintain this interactive website, organize public programs and events, maintain records and archives both online and in their original state, create oral and video histories which will be accessible online, and make a range of resources available to the public. It’s a community project and we need your help to do it right! Share your stories, pictures, and memories of Jewish Life in Brooklyn here.
Brooklyn students Grades 9-12 can draw, paint, take photographs, make sculptures, prints or mixed media pieces that depict a Jewish life in Brooklyn. Cash prizes!
Enjoy an enlightening Brooklyn YouTube conversation that Rabbi YY Jacobson of Crown Heights with the amazing entertainer Nissim Black, who took lead in music video, Brooklyn , that BJHI supported and co-produced.
In order to find out about her family’s Brooklyn roots, Rebecca and her little brother Seth explore the borough with their grandma Sophia. This new book by Cecilia Margules, is in collaboration with BJHI!
From 1879 to the 1940's the Brooklyn Hebrew Orphan Asylum was home to thousands of immigrant children, see what stands in its place now!
BJHI asked for it, we got it! An upbeat rap ballad sung by internationally famous Chassidic African-American Nissim Black for and about Brooklyn's Jewish community. We call it "We're Brooklyn".
Brooklyn Life
Media Center
Brooklyn Jewish Hall of Fame
“BJHI was created to tell the extraordinary story of the Jewish community of Brooklyn, and the BJHI Brooklyn Jewish Hall of Fame recognizes the leading Brooklynites who have truly made a difference in the world, and there are many. You will note that we have a representative balance, from the Russian community, the Syrian community, the Chassidic community and so forth, as well as business leaders, social activists and entertainers.”
Discover Brooklyn with us
Brooklyn is the most dynamic center of Judaism outside of Israel.
walking
tours, bicycling tours and bus/ van tours
tours, bicycling tours and bus/ van tours
