Special Tree Exhibit At Jewish Museum Opens February 1st

By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The National Museum of American Jewish History will be hosting a temporary exhibit of an Israeli artist from February through April.

Museum curator Josh Perelman says the temporary show is an exhibit of giant photos by Israeli photographer Tal Shochat.

"They're trees. There's a sense of rootedness there and so they evoke issues of home and homeland and certainly as an institution that represents a particular American ethnic group, Jews are always asking questions about homeland."

Hear more of the interview with Josh in this CBS Philly podcast.

Perelman says in conjunction with the theme of the museum, Shochat blocks out the background when she photographs the trees, evoking questions of roots and belonging. The exhibit runs February 1st through April  23rd.

"There is no coincidence that we are starting this exhibition around Tu B'shvat," Perelman says. "Which is the Jewish celebration of trees and actually the exhibition closes just after Earth Day and so we literally wanted to draw this connection between the Jewish experience and the larger experience of the community in which we live."