Head to the Museum at Eldridge Street on June 7 for the annual Egg Rolls & Egg Creams Festival. This annual block party, taking place every June, is a joyous cross-cultural celebration paying homage to the Jewish and Chinese communities of this lower East Side neighborhood.
This year, the signature festival celebrating Jewish and Chinese culture will expand to also feature the food, music and folk arts of the Puerto Rican community of the neighborhood. Enjoy Chinese opera, klezmer and salsa and plena music; Yiddish, Mandarin and Spanish lessons; Hebrew and Chinese scribal art, Puerto Rican mask making, mah jongg and, of course, egg rolls, egg creams and empanadas – all kosher! Plus so much more! Don’t miss New York City’s best block party, a cross-cultural celebration of the Jewish, Chinese and Puerto Rican communities of our unique Lower East Side neighborhood.
Funding for the Egg Rolls & Egg Creams Festival is provided in part by NYC & Co. Foundation/MBPO Cultural Tourism, New York City Council/The Honorable Margaret Chin, Valley National Bank, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Thanks to Brooklyn Seltzer Boys and Fox’s U-Bet for their kosher food donations.
The mission of the Museum is to restore and sustain the National Historic Landmark 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, and to offer cultural and educational programs that explore Jewish American traditions, history and culture; immigrant, urban, and New York City history; and the forms and language of architectural and cultural preservation.
Visitors to the Museum can explore historical artifacts and documents, Judaica, Yiddish signs, and interactive displays which were the recipient of the American Association of Museum’s Gold Award for Interactive Installation. The Museum’s permanent exhibition tells the story of the Eldridge Street Synagogue and the Jewish Lower East Side. Installation. The upstairs Women’s Gallery is home to an exhibit on the synagogue restoration. The Family History Center features a display of historic Lower East Side photographs, and a small changing exhibit relating to the stories of families with connections to the Lower East Side.
You can explore the history and continuing vibrancy of the gateway Lower East Side neighborhood along with some delicious local eateries (think pickles and bialys!) on the Museum’s neighborhood walking tours. Teachers can bring their students for an unforgettable educational experience. Explore the on-line teacher’s resources, and use our interactive historic map of Lower Manhattan to teach about immigration history. Young detectives can go on a hunt for history the second Sunday of each month at 11 am as part of the Preservation Detectives family program. The museum provides the binoculars, magnifying glass and note pad. You
uncover the art, architecture and mystery of the landmark site.
Become a docent and share the story of our landmark building with people from around the world. Gain experience into the workings of a non-profit through our student internship program, and immerse yourself in Jewish history, culture and architecture. Make new memories at Eldridge Street. Celebrate your important occasion in a National Historic Landmark located in the heart of New York’s Lower East Side.