A congressionally established commission was officially launched to study the potential transfer of The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution’s network of museums on Tuesday.
The museum, located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, is the US's only institution dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of Jews in America.
The commission’s assessment aims to determine whether and how the museum can be brought into the national network alongside other cultural institutions representing communities that have shaped the United States, such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the forthcoming National Museum of the American Latino, and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
The commission was established with bipartisan support in Congress, passing both the House and Senate unanimously before being signed into law by former US president Joe Biden in December 2024.
During its first meeting on Tuesday, all eight appointed commissioners affirmed their oath of office, which Pennsylvania senators Dave McCormick and John Fetterman administered.
Philip Darivoff, appointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, was named chair of the commission, and author Dara Horn, appointed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, was named vice chair.
An 'extraordinary opportunity' to deepen understanding of Jewish history
“This Commission has been entrusted with carefully examining what it would take to bring American Jewish history to a national platform through the Smithsonian,” Philip Darivoff, chair of the commission, said.
“The Weitzman preserves a history that is both distinctly Jewish and deeply American. At a time when greater understanding of Jewish history and identity is urgently needed, we have an important opportunity to help bring this to Americans from every walk of life.”
Dara Horn said, “The American Jewish story is not separate from the American story: It’s firmly part of it. The possibility of bringing that history into the Smithsonian network offers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen Americans’ understanding of Jewish history, culture, and the generations of American Jews who have helped shape this country into the magnificent place it is today.”
The commission’s work also presents an opportunity to expand education and understanding of American Jewish history, identity, and contributions at a time of heightened antisemitism in the US and globally.
The eight commissioners bring diverse professional backgrounds spanning scholarship, government, museums, business, and American Jewish communal life.
Alongside Darivoff and Horn, the members include Michael Goldfarb, publisher of the Washington Free Beacon and former deputy communications director for the McCain presidential campaign; Amy Gutmann, former US ambassador to Germany and former president of the University of Pennsylvania; former US Representative Kathy Manning; Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society; Paul Packer, managing member of Globis Capital Advisors and former chairman of the US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad; and presidential historian Tevi Troy.
Commission to assess possibility of integrating Weitzman Museum into Smithsonian network
Over the next two years, the Commission will assess how The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History might integrate into the Smithsonian network by reviewing its financial standing, asset collections, administrative structures, long-term viability, and role in studying and countering antisemitism.
To accomplish this mandate, members will draft a formal report, formulate a funding strategy, and submit legislative proposals to the White House and Congress, with the option to convene a national conference focused on Jewish American life, art, history, and culture.
The commission relies exclusively on private financial backing, operating entirely without public appropriations.