In celebration of Jewish-American Heritage Month… Did you know some of your FAVORITE pop culture phenomena were created by Jewish-American artists and authors? Artist and educator, Jessica Rehfield covers surprising cultural contributions in a one-hour talk about Jewish-American culture innovators and influences in popular culture. Notable mentions include: Harry Houdini, Emanuel Bronner (Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap), Weird Al Yankovic and Fran Drescher (The Nanny); LGBTQ+ politician Harvey Milk and activist Brenda Howard (The Mother of Pride); entertainers Doja Cat, Paula Abdul, and Harrison Ford; Groucho, Harpo and The Marx Bros.; and the story of how seltzer (bubble water) is Jewish, to name a few. Learn about these and other beloved cultural artifacts to celebrate Jewish-American Heritage Month.
Registration required.
$5 admission, or free for members. Members, watch your email inbox for your special promo code to claim your free tickets.
For accommodation related to a disability please contact Anya Ballinger at education@bentoncountymuseums.org
If you are interested in sponsoring a future lecture series at the museum, please contact Brenna Destito Chapman at development@bentoncountymuseums.org
About the presenter
Jessica Rehfield is a visual artist and educator who creates community programs to share information about Jewish and queer identities, including this series for Jewish-American Heritage Month. Born in Alaska, their Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art is from University of Alaska Southeast and they hold an MFA in Craft from Oregon College of Art and Craft. Jessica has been a Fellow with Co/Lab:Art/Lab in Portland and a resident artist with The Arts Center (Corvallis), Eastside Jewish Commons (Portland), and Salem Art Association (Salem). They have curated and created Queer Love, an exhibition featuring 14 queer artists, The Queer Artist Series featured on YouTube, and co-authored a 10-artist zine (Queer MIS/representation). They curated The Art of Drag at SAA (2024) and Two Spirit: Dual Natures, an exhibit on Indigenous Drag perspectives about climate change, opening April 2025 at Western Oregon University. They work with students at schools, universities and non-profit arts organizations. Fight for your communities’ rights and visibility wherever possible; it is always possible. Learn more about Jessica’s work by visiting their portfolio at jessicarehfield.com.
