Thursday Jewish Museum

This morning I walked a different route through Central Park to the Upper East Side. It was cold and windy.  Apart from my project to eat at all the cafes in my block and then cross 1 street etc , I have started a project to visit and photograph all the 37 bridges in Central Park.  However I will not be disappointed if I donot see them all.

The permanent display in the Jewish Museum was very good I thought. It was arranged in 4 sections : Forging an Identity 1200BCEb to 640CE, Interpreting a Tradition 640 to 1800, Confronting Modernity 1800 to 1948 and lastly Realizing a Future.

One of the first exhibits that caught my eye was a small female clay figure dated somewhere between 800 to 700 BCE.   She could be several things, including the Godess Asherah who existed before  monotheism became in vogue. Amongst many other things, there was a bit of the temple wall that was destroyed in 70 CE, some really ornate Synagogue Hanukkah Lamps, some  small Hanukkah lamps from all over the world, including Australia, some old, some very modern, one made of 9 small plastic statues of liberty. There  were some interesting paintings depicting Jewish life. I had a pumpernickel bagel with lox and cream cheese for lunch.

After lunch I looked at  the few temporary exhibitions on display. They were a bit odd and required too much thought.  I walked through the streets of the Upper East Side to Carl Schurz Park on the East River.  It was too cold to linger. The part of the park nearest the river is higher than the land to the west. There are several sort of pockets of protected areas with seats  which were probably protected from the wind. South of the park  there was a smaller path along the river. Only trouble was the noise of the 4 lane highway next to the path. I found it unpleasant, so I walked back through UES to Central Park and a few more bridges on my way home. I stopped on the way for a coffee and did not finish it, it was unpleasant. I watched and looked at some people operating radio controlled model boats on the pond in CP. I realized they were hired and will go back another day and have a go . That would  definitely qualify  as a frivolous treat.

This evening I had dinner at another eating place in my block. I think this one is categorised as a pub. I did well. On Thursday’s you get a free house ( i.e. less alcohol I think)  cosmopolitan ( shortened to cosmo in this place. Maybe everywhere? )  with a fish entrée. Suited me.