Charles Justin
The Museum and the cultural life of Melbourne Jewry
Public museums are historically a relatively recent phenomenon. The first, in 1793, was The Louvre, in the wake of the French Revolution, nourished by the spirit of the egalitarianism, liberalism and democracy. Culture was finally available to the general populace, not only the elite.
Museums had a three-part role:
- to collect objects and artifacts of the culture that the Museum represents;
- to undertake study and research, particularly of the material in its collection;
- to engage and educate its public through its displays and programs.
The Jewish Museum of Australia is a specialist museum, yet it fulfills this three-part role.
So when we ask the question what role or impact does the JMA have in the community, my thesis is that it is critical, both in strategic and practical terms.
Australia is a liberal democratic multi-cultural society. The Jewish community constitutes less than 0.5% of its populace, although its influence far outweighs its numbers.
So there are two challenges:
- for the Jewish community to survive and prosper in this vast environment;
- for Australian society to retain its liberal, tolerant, democratic and multi-cultural qualities.
I believe the JMA as a centre of Jewish cultural excellence plays a critical role in both these challenges in sustaining Jewish continuity and in nurturing a tolerant multi-cultural society. To illustrate how the JMA achieves these objectives I thought I would describe the various stakeholders - their roles and significance:
1. The Collection and its curators
The JMA has currently a collection of over 10,000 artifacts that form a cultural data base that represents Jewish life and history in Australia.
The facility is available for study, research and scholarship and importantly this cultural database is preserved for future generations.
2. Professional Staff
Helen Light and her fellow curators and educators have in-depth knowledge - expertise on Jewish culture, which through the JMA's programs is shared with the outside world. In addition there is interaction with fellow professionals and other institutions through presentations and papers at seminars, conferences etc. This repository of knowledge and expertise is an extremely valuable asset.
3. Volunteers
The JMA could not operate without its 300-400 volunteers who are involved in all aspects of its operation, whether it is guiding, putting together exhibitions, participation in education and other programs.
The JMA undertakes education programs for the volunteers, to expand their knowledge and understanding and facilitate their participation in JMA activities.
This level of activism is one of the most successful means of fostering Jewish identity.
4. Visitors
Over 12,000 visitors annually come to the various temporary exhibitions, permanent exhibitions, education programs, lectures and events.
Visitors fall into several categories: students, general public, interstate and international visitors. They are both Jewish and non-Jewish - I believe the numbers are about 50/50.
For Jewish visitors the experience educates, expands horizons, challenges but above all reinforces Jewish identity. For non-Jewish visitors, it informs, educates, breaks down prejudices and reinforces tolerance. Through the process of understanding others better, people reach a greater understanding of themselves.
5. Patronage
Through its wide range of programs, the JMA commissions a large number of curators, designers, researchers, writers, and artists to participate in developing Jewish cultural activities.
The JMA has a Contemporary Visual Arts mandate and commissions original art works from artists both Jewish and non-Jewish which interpret Jewish cultural themes - this is an initiative which is both courageous and challenging and it adds to the richness of our current Jewish heritage.
Celluloid Soup provides an opportunity for film makers to explore Jewish themes.
6. Communications
The JMA communicates prolifically with the outside world -through its newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogues, web site, articles, papers, submissions. Its reach far exceeds the visitors who walk through its doors.
7. Students and Teachers
The JMA has a vigorous education program, which reaches:
- primary students and secondary students, through the exhibition programs.
- the general public through lectures and talks
- Jewish adults through the Melton Program. This latter program is in two parts - the undergraduate program in conjunction with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the graduate program developed by Melbourne educators. Annually Melton teaches over 300 students, many, perhaps ironically, who have been through the Jewish Day school system.
The JMA is catering to a great thirst for Jewish learning.
8. Institutions
The JMA, as one of the principal Jewish cultural organizations in Australia, has professional and cultural relationships with similar organizations in Melbourne, other Australian cities, Israel and internationally. Helen Light and other representatives attend conferences, exchange information, and share programs. The JMA undertakes joint events such as this Talking History project, the Australian Family Project with nineteen other organizations, Jews & Italians of Carlton with Museum Victoria, and David Liebeskind with National Gallery. In many ways the JMA acts as the Jewish cultural representative to the outside world.
9. Supporters and Sponsors
The JMA is not funded by government and relies for survival on financial support from private organizations and individuals. They include its Friends membership, fledgling Corporate Club, Jewish sponsors and non-Jewish corporate sponsors such as NAB, ANZ, Telstra, Colonial First State.
For Jewish sponsors there is the opportunity of putting back into the community and supporting an important cultural institution, for non-Jewish sponsors the opportunity to connect to the Jewish community through the JMA - an apolitical, nonsectarian cultural organization.
What I have just presented is only a snapshot of what the JMA does and who it impacts. Obviously the consequential impacts are exponential. The impacts are also enhanced by the culture of excellence and quality outputs from the JMA.
I thought I would end on a bit of a provocative note. If you accept the proposition that the quality and depth of cultural activity is a barometer of the health of a community or society, what is the health status of the Jewish community in Melbourne? Let me ask you how many world-class Jewish writers, dramatists, visual artists, composers, philosophers has Melbourne produced? Not a lot!
If you apply the iceberg theory that the tip of the iceberg reflects what's under the water, culturally the position in Melbourne is not great and definitely not commensurate with the vibrant Jewish community that everyone talks about.
When you consider where the community invests its money, you will note that there is a big investment in the first eighteen years and the last ten years of Jewish people's lives, but not much in between. All the cultural institutions in Melbourne struggle for funding. Another indicator is the Jewish day schools - it's only in the last few years that music, drama, and literature have taken on an importance in the curriculum. Hillel at university has no support and Generation Magazine could not survive. Culture is not big on the community's radar and the consequences are frightening.
Based on current demographics - the Jewish birthrate and attrition through inter-marriage and identity dropout - there will not be a viable Jewish community in Australia in four to five generations.
That is why a vibrant, expansive Jewish cultural environment is critical to our survival and why the JMA is so important. In many ways I see the JMA as a cultural engine driving the cultural agenda, attempting to raise the importance of Jewish culture within community consciousness.
People talk about 'Jewish consciousness.' That's not enough. You can be conscious but on life support. What's important is to have Jewish life - if you want to see that, step into the Jewish Museum for a day.