Eastern State Penitentiary is opening a new exhibition that explores the history of Jewish life, religious freedom, and the nation’s first prison synagogue. “Freedom Through Faith: Judaism at Eastern State and Beyond” opens to the public Thursday, July 2, and is included with museum admissi on. The exhibition focuses on the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue, which was established in 1922 and restored in 2009. Through letters, photographs, historical artifacts, and personal stories, the exhibit examines how incarcerated people, chaplains, Jewish organizations, prison officials, and community supporters worked together to establish and sustain Jewish life within the prison. According to Eastern State, the exhibition also explores how religious liberty was fought for, practiced, and protected, underscoring the enduring significance of freedom of conscience in places of incarceration. “We are so excited to open our newest permanent exhibition, especially in such a powerful year to explore this remarkable story,” said Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State. “In 1913, in the very place that invented solitary confinement, a small group of civically minded Philadelphians came together to build a community rooted in faith and belonging. Their work was revolutionary then, and we still have much to learn from it today.” “In this exhibition, you will meet the people who sustained Jewish life within these walls,” Sautner continued. “You’ll discover how they worked together to build the synagogue, support one another, and create a system of reentry that continues to influence best practices today. This is a powerful sacred space that all Americans should visit and learn from.” Eastern state said the project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program. ...read more read less