Gustav and Mira Berger are longtime friends of the Oregon Jewish Museum. When they learned that a new Jewish museum was beginning to collect objects, they felt that their Judaica collection would have more impact in our fledgling collection than in the museum collection in New York City, their home. In 1994, they generously bequeathed to the museum several hundred pieces of Judaica from all over the world. Many of those pieces are already in Oregon and are displayed throughout the year to compliment our traveling exhibits.

Gustav grew up in a family of art collectors in Vienna. After escaping from Nazi oppression, he moved to Israel and New York City, pursuing his notable career as a chemist and world-renowned painting conservator.

Mira, born in Vilna, Lithuania, shares her husband's passion for collecting Judaica. Her career has included translating works from the Yiddish and Hebrew, as well as years of teaching.

We are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of the Bergers' collecting endeavors and love of art.

Click on any image to expand

Torah finials	Chaim Goldberg: The Cheder	Candelabrum	Seder plate	Torah wimple	Torah mantle
Torah mantle 2	Mezuzah	Kiddush cup	Decanter and cup	Kiddush cup 2	Spice tower
Spice box	Wedding cups	Spice box 2	Etrog container	Ner tamid	Grogger
Yad	Yad 2	Scribe's case	Chaim Goldberg: Mother's Portrait	Israeli Declaration of Independence	Torah ark curtain

 

return to
Collection