Happy Hanukkah!

from 14-12-2025

The festival of Hanukkah is connected to a story dating back to the Maccabean Wars of the 2nd century BCE. After liberating the Temple, the Maccabean soldiers found only enough oil for one day's ritual burning. However, they began the service, and miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days until the new oil was ready.
In honor of these eight days, Hanukkah is celebrated, with the literal command to make merry and enjoy finger-lickingly tasty meals: the Hanukkah table is usually filled with sweet pastries made using oil or butter. An abundance of oil also symbolizes prosperity and well-being. The most popular pastries are doughnuts and bagels made of butter-rich dough.

The Museum welcomes participants of the "Museums. Parks. Manors." School Competition

from 07-10-2025

The 13th season of "Museums. Parks. Manors" School Competition has now been launched! Our Museum will join it and open its doors for eager participants on Friday, October 10th.
We strongly advise students to familiarize themselves with the rules of admission and conduct on the Museum premises before registering as a competitor at our Museum. 
The participants' age categories we accept are exclusive to 8th-9th and 10th-11th grades! Participants are welcome to visit on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Prior booking by phone 8 (495) 656-45-71 is required. One can participate in the competition on-site only AFTER completing our Museums' online quiz. All the relevant information will also be published on the "Museums. Parks. Manors." website. Before registering, please review this information on the Museum's page there: https://museum.cpm.moscow/museums/169 or on our own website: www.mievr.ru.
"Museums. Parks. Manors." School Competition is organized jointly by the Municipal Departments of Education and Culture. The Museum for Jewish History in Russia does not provide answer sheets or register new competition participants.

Visit the museum
1/2
News
Favorites collection
Look
Military oath of allegiance for the Jews
1900s Chromolithograph on paper. 23 х 15.
Look
Case for a Torah scroll
Late 19 – early 20 cent. Wood, velvet, leather, and copper with embossing; freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones. Height: 55.7; diameter: 23.
Look
Tar and kamancha, stringed musical instruments used by the Mountain Jews
First half of 20 cent. Wood. Tar: 86.5 х 15.8 х 16.5. Kamancha: 72.8 х 16 х 17.
Look
Woman’s holiday khalat – ‘kaltach’
First quarter of 20 cent. Blue satin, adras, and calico. 123 х 71; sleeve length: 51.
Look
Set of dishes for blessings over wine during the Passover seder
Second half of 19 cent. Embossed silver. Saucer: diameter: 13. Small cups (5 items; shaped as piyalas): Height: 3.5; diameter: 5. Large cup (shaped as piyala): height: 4.5; diameter: 8.5.
Look
Sketch of the costume of kuni-leml for a production of the theater "Kunst-Vinkl" after the A. Goldfaden's play "The Two Kuni-Lemls"
The mid. 1920's Indian ink and pencil on paper. 36 х 26,3.
Look
Sketch for the play "Stempenyu" by Sholem Aleichem
1966 Lithography. 75 х 52,5.
Look
Items for daily use manufactured by Jews in the partisan units of Polesie Belarus. Overshoes
1942 – 1944