Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC), the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center (HHC) and Jewish Bicentennial Committee are partnering on a new exhibition to tell the story of Cincinnati’s Jewish community over two centuries. The exhibition is part of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial, celebrating the lasting influences of the city’s Jewish community on the city we know today. Our Shared Story: 200 Years of Jewish Cincinnati opens April 28 at Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal.

Working with the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial committee, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Hebrew Union College, the Skirball Museum and the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, CMC and HHC have organized an exhibition that introduces aspects of Jewish traditions and culture while sharing stories of both prominent and unheralded Jewish Cincinnatians. Our Shared Story examines the people and traditions that continue to influence our food, medicine, arts institutions, social justice movements, how we enjoy sports and more.

“Together with Cincinnati Museum Center and our various partners, we are honored to bring an illuminating exhibition that highlights the vibrancy, inclusivity and complexity of Jewish history and culture in the Queen City,” said Sarah L. Weiss, CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. “From the creation of the Chestnut Street Cemetery in the 1820s to the diverse and growing community we have today, the city we love has been and will continue to be deeply influenced by the Jewish community.”

Our Shared Story begins as the Jewish community in Cincinnati did: with Joseph Jonas, who founded the first Jewish cemetery in Cincinnati in 1821. Suitcases, trunks and immigration and naturalization papers tell the stories of Jews immigrating to Cincinnati. A table set for a Passover seder, symbolizing the importance of family and traditions, invites guests to explore recipes and utensils that can unite a community. A section on religion introduces the basic tenets of Judaism and the Torah, along with religious items including a yarmulke, dreidel and menorah. Books and diaries from Rabbis Isaac M. Wise, Eliezer Silver – the father of reformed Judaism and a leader in Orthodox Judaism, respectively – and Jacob Marcus Rader detail the importance of education. The story of Cincinnati’s Hebrew Union College – the oldest rabbinical seminary in the U.S. – also takes center stage.

Jewish influences in Cincinnati are marked by iconic names and brands: Kahn’s, U.S. Shoe, Standard Textile and more. Names and companies that may be forgotten are still integral to the fabric of the community and even retain national importance. Kuhn and Sons Bank was bought out by Fifth Third Bank, and the Mosler Safe Company built vaults and blast doors that are still in use at Fort Knox and nuclear blast sites.

Similarly, the names Sabin and Heimlich endure across generations, including the thousands of lives their innovations – the polio vaccine and Heimlich maneuver – have saved. Jewish Hospital provided a respectful space for Jewish patients, and the United Jewish Social Agencies produced Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the United Way. Military uniforms and objects tell the stories of Jewish veterans, including Charles Stix, a Marine in World War II, and Robert Marx, a Marine who founded the Disable American Veterans organization in Cincinnati following his service in World War I.

Cincinnati’s arts scene is peppered with names like Krohn, Aronoff and Rosenthal – all families who have contributed to the vibrancy of the community. Stories from King Records and the Cincinnati Reds show the lasting Jewish influence of those iconic organizations, including the story of Reds announcer Harry Hartman who coined the phrase “going, going, gone!”

”Our Shared Story is a fitting name for this exhibition because the story of Cincinnati, the story of who we are as Cincinnatians, has been so intrinsically shaped by our Jewish community,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “With this exhibition we want to share Jewish culture and celebrate, together, the contributions that have built and are building the city we love today.”

Our Shared Story is part of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial, celebrating over 200 years of Jewish community life in Cincinnati, which formally began with the founding of Chestnut Street Cemetery in 1821. The Bicentennial is commemorating this significant milestone in 2021 and 2022 through community celebrations, multi-generational programs and interactive experiences.

Our Shared Story: 200 Years of Jewish Cincinnati is included with admission to Cincinnati Museum Center or the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. The exhibition will be open April 28 through October 2, 2022. Our Shared Story: 200 Years of Jewish Cincinnati is made possible with support from PNC Bank. Additional support has been provided by Ohio Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant ARPML-250780-OMLS-22. CMC and HHC are grateful to the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial Committee for their partnership and collaboration.

Taste of Cincinnati, presented by Kroger, returns to Cincinnati May 28-30! After a two-year hiatus, Cincinnati’s Memorial Day weekend tradition will return with the largest selection of restaurants and food trucks in the event’s history. Approximately 550,000 people now attend the annual food extravaganza, making Taste one of the nation’s largest street festivals. 

36 restaurants and 18 food trucks will participate at the event. In total, more than 300 menu items will be available, along with a wide variety of beers and entertainment. In the weeks leading up to Taste each year, menu items are previewed and judged for prestigious Best of Taste Awards.

Taste of Cincinnati is also a music festival, with continuous live entertainment featuring local and national recording stars performing on multiple stages throughout the event.

Over the past two years, the Taste of Cincinnati program supported local establishments through virtual programming and grant opportunities. The City of Cincinnati generously funded a total of $8 million through a collaboration with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation to help sustain Cincinnati’s restaurant economy. The Taste of Cincinnati Team was proud to support these initiatives and are thrilled to return the Taste tradition Cincinnati residents all know and love back to the region.

Taste of Cincinnati will again be held on Fifth Street in downtown Cincinnati from Main to the ramps of I-71 and Columbia Parkway.

Visit tasteofcincinnati.com to learn more.

The Turf club is a classic American burger joint with the coolest vibe and surroundings….Neon signs, cartoon characters from the 70s and 80s, music playing, beer and drinks flowing….a whole lot of laid-back fun!

The Turf Club, Located in Linwood right off Columbia Parkway, is known for its neon signs, uplifting atmosphere, and most of all, the incredible stacked burgers! Boasting a wide selection of specialty toppings and sauces, the burger possibilities are endless. Not to stop there, the turf club also serves a variety of seafood, grilled chicken sandwiches and veggie options, along with lots of appetizers and a fully stocked bar to wash it all down.

Tom Kunkemoeller…proprietor of The Turf Club…is a hands on leader. Don’t be surprised when you go if he is standing behind the bar ready to greet you! He’s just that kind of guy.
With a smile…always.

Be sure to stop by for the Happy Hour specials…and….BOGO burgers on Wednesday and Thursday nights as your KEY exclusive offer!!!! It doesn’t get any better than that…and the fries. Omg. And onion rings. Don’t forget to order those! One last thing…the grilled asparagus. Absolutely the BEST asparagus in the city.

The Turf Club….4618 Eastern Ave….just above Lunken Airport. Look for the neon signs! Enjoy!

Street City has something Unexpected to offer…an exclusive club where elegance and bourbon are at the heart of the experience. Hosted by the owners of Prime Cincinnati, the unassuming pub in the Central Business district of Cincinnati has been reimagined into your new favorite gathering spot. Enter the doors and find the expected façade of Street City, but step further in and you’ll find a hidden gem in their new room. City and arts-inspired murals line the walls, a beautifully framed large screen centers the room next to a stage and to top it off, there is a bourbon display filled with sparkling bottles exhibited to entice.

Set for daytime, the room offers a great option to gather in an excellent setting for a business lunch.  Dinner is filled with theater goers as they indulge in a prix fixe menu that is a perfect preview to the show. Especially when the Aronoff is just a hop across the street, the Taft theater is a block behind, and the stadiums are three blocks south. Above and beyond these experiences is something Unexpected.

 

Among the diners there will be those who have become members of a new Unexpected Club. They are given priority seating and priority bookings. They are given advanced notice of special pop-up entertainment nights and exclusive events. They are the elite. Want to be one of them? Inquiries can be made to Zach@PrimeCincinnati.com. We suggest you get in on this new hot-spot before the memberships are gone.

Café Alma came to fruition through a shared love of community and food. The owners, Lainey and Yair Richler encourage the habit of healthy eating and living a well-balanced lifestyle through a Mediterranean Diet. Café Alma aspires to be the place people come to for a meal and feel good about what they are eating. The Richlers hope their cafe can feel like a home away from home— where one can sit for hours with a friend, offer a comfortable space for those that work remotely, or be the first choice for special occasions.

Every dish on the menu is filled with color and flavor, with hopes that customers will come back time after time to make their way through the menu. Some of Café Alma’s staple dishes consist of: Alma’s Classic Shakshuka, Rosewater Pistachio Waffle, and the Sun Dried Tomato Benedict. When discussing their menu, Yair Richler said: “We’re focusing on a different vibe with comfort foods that people are familiar with and love, but with our own little twist on it.”

Café Alma is Cincinnati’s first Mediterranean cafe serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch all day. Reservations for groups of 6 or more are needed, waitlist is recommended for 5 or less and can be found through their website.

Mount Adams is known for Eden Park, with walking paths, Ohio River views, and the Krohn Conservatory, home to exotic plants and a seasonal butterfly exhibit. The park also contains the Cincinnati Art Museum, offering free admission to its broad permanent collection, and Playhouse in the Park, which stages contemporary shows at 2 theaters. 

Mount Adams is home to more than 1500 residents. “The Hill” is known for its winding streets, spectacular views, and a bustling entertainment district, with taverns, restaurants, shopping and live music!

Just a short walk or drive from Downtown puts you right in the heart of Mount Adams….the perfect destination with so much to see and do!