NEW YORK – The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot, located in Tel Aviv, Israel, has been given a $750,000 grant from the New York-based David Berg Foundation. The gift, part of the Museum’s $100 million renewal campaign, supports “Jewish Centers of Antiquity: Babylonia and the Land of Israel,” a gallery in the new core exhibition at the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot.

The exhibition will tell the parallel stories of Jewish life in the Land of Israel and Babylonia in the centuries following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. It will look at how the Jews in both centers, living in the heart of the Greek and Persian empires, respectively, created cultural and intellectual traditions that changed the face of Judaism.

Michele Tocci, President of the David Berg Foundation, congratulated Irina Nevzlin, Chair of Beit Hatfutsot’s Board of Directors, and Dan Tadmor, CEO of Beit Hatfutsot, on the completion of a vibrant redesign of the Museum.

Irina Nevzlin expressed her gratitude to The David Berg Foundation, noting that the gift reflects “an inspiring and memorable contribution to the campaign to establish not just the world’s largest Jewish museum, but a physical, global and online center for shaping the Jewish future.” Dan Tadmor added that “The David Berg Foundation Gallery, which showcases the creativity of the twin centers of ancient Jewish life, underlies one of the core messages of the Museum of the Jewish People – a commitment to celebrating the achievements and diversity of Jews throughout history, including the present day.”

The gift was announced one month before the inauguration of a new wing at the Museum that will permanently house the Alfred H. Moses & Family Synagogue Hall, the Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Children’s Gallery, and two galleries for temporary exhibitions, which will open with “Operation Moses: 30 Years After,” an exploration of the immigration and absorption of the Ethiopian-Israeli community into Israel, and “Forever Young,” a celebration of the life, times and Jewish impact of Bob Dylan, in honor of his 75th birthday.

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About The David Berg Foundation
The David Berg Foundation was established in New York by David Berg in 1994. David Berg, a graduate of Harvard Law School, was a lawyer, real estate investor and philanthropist. The David Berg Foundation supports programs in a wide variety of areas, including law, ethics, legal education, public policy, museums, Jewish history, religion and art, in Israel, the U.S. and Europe.

About Beit Hatfutsot
Established nearly forty years ago, Beit Hatfutsot is the only institution in the world devoted to sharing the complete story of the Jewish people with millions of visitors from all walks of life. Today, the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot works on-site and online through its diverse and innovative programs that celebrate 4,000 years of Jewish life, culture and history to build connections among Jewish people around the world. The Museum engages people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles, emphasizing both the diversity and the unity of the Jewish people, and highlighting the universal resonance of the Jewish experience.