Seven sixth-graders from Congregation Beth Israel-Judea’s religious school in San Francisco took a whirlwind tour of the world last week.
Their mission was to view the 140 photographs of primarily diaspora Jews as part of “The Jewish Journey: Frederic Brenner’s Photographic Odyssey” at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.
Brenner, a contemporary French photographer and social anthropologist, took about 80,000 photos chronicling Jewish life over a 25-year period. The exhibit runs until Feb. 27.
The exhibit is a vehicle to help students consider their own identity and history, said Emily Scheinberg, the museum’s coordinator of school, youth and family programs.
Sara Rama, 11, of San Francisco confronted the diversity of Jews worldwide as she gazed at a photograph of a beautiful young Ethiopian woman with braided hair and downcast eyes.
“She doesn’t look that Jewish,” said Sara, who emigrated three years ago from Barcelona to the United States and is a student at James Lick Middle School. “My first impression is not what I pictured. I never really thought Jews looked like that. Her clothes are so foreign. I’m used to European-looking Jews. I know this woman is Jewish but I just don’t see it. It’s a shock.”
All the students bubbled with excitement over a vibrant photograph of Jews celebrating a safari Purim on the savannah of South Africa. Zac Lewis, 13, immediately noticed the animals, two kids eating and a big jeep.
“I kept asking my mom if the animals were real,” said Zac, who is also the sixth grade’s teaching assistant, “because I couldn’t tell if the ones in the background were fake.”
Scheinberg explained that the animals were facsimiles because they were easier and safer for Brenner to use. The animals immediately connected the students to the setting. “With them you see it’s a wilderness and Africa,” said Sara. “You see the whole safari thing.”
Zac noticed a man lounging in the dry grass of the savannah, half his moustache shaved off, wearing a tallit and coat. “The picture shows that Jews are all over the world,” he said. His brother, Max Lewis, 11, echoed, “Jews can be anywhere.”
“You don’t have to wear a tallit just in temple,” added Talia Frank, 11, of San Francisco.
Sophie Rutkin, 12, and Max Lewis, both of San Franciso, stared at the profile of a Jewish man in his late 30s who was surrounded by dozens of busts of classical Roman figures they assumed were his relatives.
“If you could add 20 years to the man in the picture,” said Max, pointing to one of the profiles, “he’d look exactly like one of the sculptures.”
Sophie agreed that even though “you cannot see the names of the busts, there is a very distinct similarity with the head structure and facial features of the man and the busts.”
The only photograph of mostly non-Jews stunned Nita Hylton, 12, of San Francisco. Residents of Billings, Mont., gathered behind what appears to be shattered glass. “The person looking at the photo sees the cracks of the window,” she said. “It’s like someone was throwing bricks through many people’s windows.”
After someone tossed a rock through the window of a Jewish family home during Chanukah in 1992, thousands of people hung paper menorahs in their windows and businesses and marched in frigid temperatures in solidarity with all victims of hate crimes in their community.
Brenner assembled a wide shot of priests, high school football players, doctors, construction workers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, a cheerleader, Native American chieftains and a mother cradling her baby — all holding menorahs.
“It is kind of cool that everyone is holding their menorahs,” said Nita.
Added Hannah Mills, 11, of San Francisco: “It’s great that people are showing they care about our religion. And they do care.”
“The Jewish Journey: Frederic Brenner’s Photographic Odyssey” shows noon-6 p.m. through Feb. 27 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, 121 Steuart St., S.F. Open Sundays through Thursday. Tickets: $5 adults, $4 seniors and students. Information: (415) 344-8827.