Although it may seem like our staff brings a zealous, 24/7, laser-sharp focus to their work at the Katz Center, some (ok, all) have talents and interests that reach beyond our walls.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity and vision of Arnold and Deanne Kaplan, the Penn Libraries have acquired a pair of 18th-century oil portraits of Moses Michael Hays, arguably the most prominent Jewish merchant of the time, and his wife Rachel Myers Hays, the daughter of the outstanding colonial Jewish silversmith (Myer Myers). These paintings are attributed to Gilbert Stuart, renowned for his unfinished painting of George Washington, which appears on the one dollar bill!

JQR 111.3 is now available, online* and in print. 

In this issue:

This week, design-minded types around Philadelphia are celebrating and exploring the city’s architecture, fashion, interior design, graphic arts, digital innovation, and more in the Design Philadelphia festival. Although the Katz Center is not officially participating, we are watching closely, since design plays a prominent role in our theme of “the Jewish home” this year.

We are delighted to announce the gift by Laurence Salzmann and Ayşe Gürsan-Salzmann of the Laurence Salzmann Photography Collection.