How We Show Up: Oregon Jews in Civil Society

Pearl District

When

Ongoing

Days vary, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Where

Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

724 Northwest Davis Street
Portland, OR, 97209

What does civic participation look like? How do communities shape the places where they live? How We Show Up explores the many ways Jews in Oregon have participated in public life—from building towns and holding office in the nineteenth century to advocating for civil rights, immigrant communities, and social justice in the decades that followed. Drawing from the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education’s collections, the exhibition traces a long tradition of civic engagement shaped by leadership, service, and advocacy. 

Visitors will encounter stories of early Jewish mayors who helped establish towns across Oregon, women who organized networks of social welfare and immigrant support, and lawyers, activists, and community leaders who worked to expand civil rights and democratic participation. The exhibition also examines moments of tension and contradiction, exploring the limits of acceptance and the complexities of minority politics. 

Presented as part of the national America 250 commemoration, How We Show Up reflects on the ongoing work of democracy. Through photographs, documents, and personal stories, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how communities participate in civic life—and how each generation chooses to show up. 

Funding has been generously provided by the Judy Margles Education and Culture Fund, Craig E. Wollner Exhibition Fund, and Zera Foundation.