New Exhibit Opens Exploring the History of Jews and Cannabis
Okay so here’s something I definitely didn’t expect to be writing about this week: a prestigious Jewish research institute just opened an exhibit about weed. And honestly? It’s kind of fascinating.
The Forward reports that YIVO Institute for Jewish Research has opened “Am Yisrael High: The Story of Jews and Cannabis” – and yes, they went with that pun.
The exhibit includes a menorah-shaped bong (I know), an empty box of Phillies blunts (because the company was founded by three Jewish immigrant brothers), and documents from the Cairo Geniza dating back to the 1200s that contain actual hashish purchase orders.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency got an interview with curator Eddy Portnoy, who explained the origins: “YIVO has been collecting Jewish artifacts for more than 100 years. The bong was an excellent example of the crossover between Jewish culture and cannabis culture.”
One of the most striking parts of the exhibit is a wall-sized quote from Richard Nixon in 1971: “Every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob?”
The Algemeiner’s review notes that the exhibit traces cannabis use in Jewish religious ritual going back two thousand years. Archaeologists even discovered marijuana residue on an ancient Israelite altar in Tel Arad – suggesting cannabis might have been part of temple incense.
The counterculture section is wild. The Yippies were founded by five Jews – Abbie Hoffman, Anita Hoffman, Nancy Kurshan, Jerry Rubin, and Paul Krasner – and virtually every issue of The Yipster Times contained articles about cannabis legalization. It’s another example of how nostalgia and cultural history keep finding new ways to resurface in unexpected contexts.
Israeli scientist Raphael Mechoulam, who isolated THC and CBD, is featured prominently. His 1980 study on CBD for epilepsy happened nearly 40 years before the FDA approved a pharmaceutical version.
I genuinely cannot believe I’m writing this but… maybe go check out the weed exhibit at the Jewish research institute? It’s actually really interesting?
