Jewish Historic Dress From North Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia

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Since its founding in 1984, The Contemporary Jewish Museum (The CJM), located in downtown San Francisco, has distinguished itself as a welcoming place where visitors can connect with one another through shared experiences with the arts. 

In 2008, The Museum opened a new building designed by internationally-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. Inspired by the Hebrew phrase l’chaim (“to life”), the building is a physical embodiment of The CJM’s dedication to exploring dynamic, contemporary Jewish life.

The CJM is a non-collecting institution that partners with national and international cultural institutions to present ever-changing exhibitions that are both timely and relevant and represent the highest level of artistic achievement and scholarship.

About the Exhibition:

The extraordinary range of textile designs and clothing in the exhibition illuminates the story of how diverse global cultures have thrived, interacted, and inspired each other for centuries. Jewish communities from Afghanistan, Algeria, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, Georgia, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan, Israel, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Tunisia, Turkey, the United States, Uzbekistan, and Yemen are represented with the majority of pieces originating from North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Approximately 65 items of clothing will be on display, representing excellent examples from the much larger collection of Jewish diasporic clothing held by the Israel Museum. Foregrounding color, texture, function, artistry, and craftsmanship, Veiled Meanings offers an incisive and compelling examination of diversity and migration through the lens of fashion.