What Is Jewish American Heritage Month? A Proud Jew Explains
Posted By admin on May 26, 2023
I celebrate Jewish American heritage during the month of Mayand you should too
The Jewish calendar is filled with well-known holidaysmost people have heard of Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah and Passover even if they dont celebrate them. But every May, Jewish American Heritage Month invites people of all faiths and observance levels to celebrate in a different way. The holiday is all about acknowledging and celebrating the contributions Jewish Americans have made to this country.
All of this is an antidote to antisemitism, says Emily August, chief public engagement officer for the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, which organizes the monthly holiday. Thats important, because theres been an alarming increase in antisemitism in America (cases rose by 36% from 2021 to 2022) and internationally. With that in mind, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History partnered on a monthlong campaign using the hashtag #StandUpToJewishHate to raise awareness of and stand up to antisemitism.
But the celebration goes beyond that. Jewish American Heritage Month is a way of inviting people to embrace all things Jewish in the most positive ways possible. It centers on our cuisine and our major contributions to science, law, tech, literature and, yes, the movie industry. Jewish Heritage Month is about history, culture and knowledge, says historian Miriam Mora, PhD, director of academic and public programs at the Center for Jewish History.
As for me, I have always been proudly Jewish, if not vocally or visibly Jewish. My faith and observance, though deeply ingrained, were mostly shared with family and friends. But as the child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors in a world tainted by antisemitism, I feel that I must speak up and speak out often about my Jewishness. Where it once felt like a responsibility, it now feels like an honor to share my love and great pride in Judaism. One of my role models in all things Jewish pride, Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism for the U.S. Department of State, mentioned something in a Zoom meeting for female chaplains that stuck with me. She said that no matter where she travels in the world, even throughout the Middle East, she proudly wears her Jewish Star (aka the Magen David or Shield of David) necklace. Inspired by Ambassador Lipstadt, I do too.
Get Readers DigestsRead Up newsletter for humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Mark your calendar! This holiday is celebrated throughout the month of May each year. It may not have as long a history as some other Jewish holidays, but its far from a new celebration. Jewish American History Month has been celebrated formally since May 2006, following the 2004 events recognizing 350 years of a Jewish presence in America, says Mora.
While we know that President George W. Bush established the national holiday in 2006, were less clear on the significance of the month. No one seems quite sure why May was chosen for the celebration. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that its easier to go to events or lectures during the springtime. Or maybe it was related to the Jewish calendarMay is a relatively quiet time of year in terms of traditional holiday observances.
Jewish American Heritage Month is far from the only monthlong celebration of a culture or faith. In fact, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is also celebrated in May. The United States recognizes several heritage and history months as celebrations of the diversity of the American mosaic, says Mora.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Jewish Heritage Month acknowledges the distinctive contributions Jewish people have made to this country that welcomed so many of us when we had nowhere else to go, says actress Mayim Bialik. This country is where my grandparents arrived with very little in their possession except the hope for something better.
The Jewish American Heritage Month statement is straightforward: It not only focuses on preserving, celebrating and educating the public about Jewish peoples contributions to broader American culture but also explores how America has shaped the culture and the gratitude of the Jewish community, says August. It plays out in the form of outreach programs, entertainment, food festivals and other events centered on the collective contribution Jews have made to American life.
Our impact on the United States has been far-reaching. Its estimated that Jews make up only 2.5% of society. But while were a small percentage of the population, our contributions have been significant, touching every industry and cultural pursuit.
The Great American Songbook would not exist without Jewish composers Irving Berlin, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. Jewish doctor Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine and changed the face of immunology. Computer science and engineering pioneer Harold Abelson is founding director of Creative Commons and the Free Software Foundation, while Sergey Brin co-founded Google.
Photographers Diane Arbus and Richard Avedon changed the way we look at the world. Scarlett Johansson, Lenny Kravitz, Adam Levine, Natasha Lyonne, Lisa Kudrow, Daveed Diggs and countless other entertainers are all Jewish. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman) changed the face of American folk music, while my fellow Brooklyn homegirl, the late great Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fought for gender equity and became the second female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
So whats worth celebrating? Anything that raises the profile of the rich and diverse nature of Jewish American culture is valuable, says Malka Z. Simkovich, PhD, the Crown-Ryan chair of Jewish studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
Bettmann/Getty Images
During Jewish American Heritage Month, we get the opportunity to highlight the way in which Jews have changed the country for the better. The holiday is also a way of fighting antisemitic tropes by reframing the narrative.
Some people use our contributions as a way of fueling antisemitism, says Max Con, the incoming business development lead for the Israeli Ministry of Economys Economic Mission to the East Coast. The truth is that we have had our hands in a lot of things in some ways disproportionate to our size. And people are apologetic about it.
Instead, it should be a great source of pride for everyone. They should believe they can have an effect on culture and science and history, Con says. And being a Jew doesnt limit us. It can be a driving force to inspire others to mimic that success.
Bialik agrees. The Jewish people have added a tremendous amount to our culture in so many fields, and besides the notion that Jews run Hollywood or Jews run the banksneither of which is true!our contributions to many fields are significant and deserving of acknowledgment, she says. I am a proud American and a proud member of the Jewish people, and I wish my grandparents were alive to witness this month in all its enthusiasm. Im grateful my sons are able to experience it, especially in a time in our American and global history when being Jewish is a source of conflict and hatred. There is much to celebrate!
As for me? To be honest, I never thought I needed a month to celebrate my people and history. But in learning more about Jewish American Heritage Month, I see how important it is to commemorate who we are and what weve accomplished and contributed. Jews continue to be the other in spite of our more than 350-year presence, Mora says. Simply by self-identifying as Jews, Jews make a statement: I am here.'
The celebration of Jewish heritage isnt unique to the United States. Its recognized elsewhere in the world, most notably in Canada. The Jewish community in Canada, much like in the United States, has a long history of migration, acculturation and contributions to Canadian history and is all too often left out of the broader American Jewish story, Mora says.
Like their American counterparts, Canadians celebrate this national holiday during the month of May.
Robert Nicholas/Getty Images
Just as every family puts their own spin on holidaysconsider the various Hanukkah traditions and Rosh Hashanah traditionseveryone celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month differently. If youre looking for some inspiration, I compiled a list to get you started.
If youre curious about your heritage, Mora suggests taking steps to discover your own American migration story. She notes that the Center for Jewish History is home to the Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute and the DNA Reunion Project. You can reach out to the staff, make an in-person appointment or attend an online class. Its a great option even if youre not practicing or otherwise involved with your personal Jewish history
There is no single country, culture or origin story when it comes to being Jewish. We come from all over the world and every racial designation. Discover Black Jews, Sephardic food and music, or ways to celebrate that are out of your typical comfort zone.
Im the child and grandchild of Holocaust survivors, and so many of my familys stories have been lost permanently. We dont have medical records, and until earlier this year, I had no remaining photographs of my father as a child. If theres one thing I know, its that personal history is powerful.
Honor your history by visiting a great aunt or other relatives, and really listen to them. Youd be amazed by just how powerful their stories can be.
Thats something neither I nor my family take for granted. My sister Kiki is currently creating a video series of talks with American-based Holocaust survivors about their lives after tragedy. Theres so much emphasis on the suffering these people have faced, but my sister is chronicling the joy and resilience theyve found in America.
by IAISI/Getty Images
Gather fellow bookworms to read books that are important to the Jewish population, and dont just stick to Holocaust books. Read widely! August recommends choosing books by Jewish authors or on Jewish topics.
Sometimes people who are not living in the Jewish community might think about Jews through the lens of history, says Simkovich. Their minds may turn to the Holocaust, the first century or the Jews of the past. What she asks is that anyone interested in celebrating this month would make a proactive effort to encounter living Judaism, whether sharing a Shabbat or going to a Jewish neighbor or cultivating a friendship that brings you to the current living Judaism. I think thats more effective than reading a history book.
Alan Locher, host of The Locher Room YouTube show, is the child of two Holocaust survivors. But it was only during his late 20s that he started to strongly identify with his Jewish heritage. In 1996, he traveled with his parents to Holland (both of them were born and raised in Amsterdam) to meet the family who hid his mother during World War II.
Still, his heritage didnt intersect with his work until recently. During the pandemic, Locherwho has a long history of working with daytime and prime-time actorsstarted interviewing people via his YouTube channel to cheer them up. But when he noticed the disturbing increase in antisemitism, he started to focus his interviews on people standing up to hate.
My belief is that conversations like this can change hearts and minds, he says. We all must do everything we can to stop hate in all its forms. If you think that you have a unique way of combating hate in this country, consider starting your own channel or recording your personal experiences.
Carlos Huber, a fragrance designer and founder of Arquiste, was born in Mexico but currently considers New York his home. Huber describes his upbringing as including a mix of Sephardic heritage (by way of Istanbul and Greece) and Ashkenazi (by way of Poland and Lithuania). He channeled that mix into LEtrog cologne, which celebrates both his heritage and the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, during which a citron fruit plays a major role.
Thats just one example of the many Jewish-owned businesses in the country. By shopping at one of these stores, youre putting money in the hands of the community instead of giant corporations.
REDA&CO/Getty Images
Make a Jewish recipe, go to a Jewish bakery, listen to some Jewish musicwhatever moves you. There are no rules or ideals to the observation of this holiday. Its just a way to speak up proudly or reclaim a part of yourself that you may have lost.
Whether or not you consider yourself a social media influencer, your posts matter. Talk about Jewish American Heritage Month and the Jewish role models who inspire you most.
I celebrate every single Jewish holidayand Im not kidding! I even celebrate the ones no one has ever heard about. So I initially figured I could take a pass at celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month.
But the fact is that culturally, were combating a loneliness epidemic and still finding our footing after the pandemic. In addition to being a journalist and author, Im also a certified chaplain. And that means Im going to try to find ways to help even unaffiliated or uninterested Jews reclaim some pride in their faith this month, even if it means treating them to some kugel or kokosh cake (a Hungarian chocolate roll loaf). Connecting with others, be they fellow members of the faith or allies, is perhaps the greatest testament to being proudly Jewish.
My late father, David, was a child slave laborer to the Nazis before he was sent to a concentration camp. He was persecuted as a small boy for the crime of being Jewish. I will honor him by finding ways to commemorate my faith this month, and I really hope youll join me.
Sources:
See more here:
What Is Jewish American Heritage Month? A Proud Jew Explains
- 64 Hours In An Ice Cube [Last Updated On: January 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 27th, 2010]
- Jewish Rabbi admits Islam is the oldest religion - Video [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2010]
- Israel investigation [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2010]
- EU-Egypt meet on Israel settlement [Last Updated On: March 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 15th, 2010]
- Dogs Do Amazing Tricks [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2010]
- Israel approves 100 Jerusalem homes [Last Updated On: March 24th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 24th, 2010]
- Israel closes West Bank for Passover [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2010]
- Legless Dog [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2010]
- Fiddler On the Roof Interviews [Last Updated On: May 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 2nd, 2010]
- Fiddler on the Roof Interview: Part Two - Deborah Grausman [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2010]
- Obama Oil Spill press conference - Cable Network Production audio feed accidentally picked up [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2010]
- Israel rejects NPT resolution [Last Updated On: May 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2010]
- Axelrod and the jews behind Obama [Last Updated On: May 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2010]
- Israel condemned over ship action [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2010]
- Israel perpetró agresiones contra Flotillas de ayuda humanitaria propalestina [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Hace un año que NN.UU. exige desbloqueo y retiro de tropas de Gaza. Israel hace [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Liga Árabe denuncia actitud desafiante de Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Activistas propalestina proponen boicot contra Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Primer Ministro turco califica a Israel como Estado terrorista [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Consejo de Seguridad ONU repudió agresión a Flotilla pero no condenó a Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Analista peruano opina que el tema de Israel gravitará en la reunión entre [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Ian Bremmer "Vastly More Concerned About North Korea" vs. Israel-Gaza [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2010]
- Israel reitera que no permitirá que ningún barco llegue a Gaza [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Raw Video: Israel seizes new Gaza-bound aid ship [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Rachel Corrie flotilla: Israel releases new images [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Legendary White House reporter's Israel gaffe [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2010]
- Helen Thomas, a Hero for Telling the Truth [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2010]
- Israel Soldiers are random shooting to civils on aid ship mavi marmara [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2010]
- Find Israel t-shirts, funny Jewish t-shirts and Krav Maga T-shirts [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2010]
- Israel t-shirts, funny Jewish t-shirts and Krav Maga T-shirts [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2010]
- A Day in the Life of Israel Miller – Turning Dreams to Reality [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2010]
- Ofensiva de EE.UU. e Israel contra Irán detonará pronto guerra nuclear: Fidel [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2010]
- Dancing soldiers video goes viral in Israel [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2010]
- Should Israel Apologize for Flotilla Raid? [Last Updated On: July 6th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 6th, 2010]
- We Love You Israel! [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2010]
- San Remo's Mandate: Israel's 'Magna Carta' - CBN.com [Last Updated On: July 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 9th, 2010]
- Israel anuncia que devolverá, con condiciones, barcos de la flotilla humanitaria [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2010]
- Ahmadinejad says US, Israel to attack [Last Updated On: July 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 27th, 2010]
- Meshaal rechaza cualquier diálogo directo o indirecto con Israel [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2010]
- Israel mata a tres soldados libaneses y a periodista durante ataque en frontera [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2010]
- Continúa tensión tras enfrentamientos de tropas en frontera entre Israel y [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2010]
- Trouble Brewing for Israel? [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2010]
- Marquis Laughlin Travels to Israel, The Holy Land [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2010]
- Nasrallah presents Israel 'evidence' [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2010]
- Travel To Israel [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Israel's Top Cities [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Israel's Top Attractions [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Will Israel Launch Strike Against Iran Nuclear Plant? [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2010]
- Negociaciones de paz entre Palestina e Israel generan reacciones en distintos [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2010]
- Inicia segunda ronda de negociaciones de paz entre Israel y Palestina [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2010]
- Barry Segal: Vision for Israel - CBN.com [Last Updated On: October 14th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 14th, 2010]
- World's Biggest Rocking Horse [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2010]
- Israel reanuda construcción de asentamientos en territorio palestino [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2010]
- Sirios víctimas de minas antipersonas que Israel dejó en el Golán [Last Updated On: November 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 10th, 2010]
- The Samson Option explodes one of the world’s most closely guarded secrets—the secret of Israel’s atomic arsenal. [Last Updated On: January 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 19th, 2010]
- Brush Fires Rage on in Israel [Last Updated On: December 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 4th, 2010]
- Robot Surgeon Comes to Israel [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2010]
- Jewish Professor: Israel is a client state to the US in the region [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2011]
- Jewish American Heritage Month » B'nai B'rith International ... [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2011]
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz Recognizes Jewish American Heritage Month 2009 [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Why I Left Judaism [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- DEFAMATION - Theatrical Trailer [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Cast of "House" visits Israel [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Surviving the Holocaust: Zanne Farbstein's Story [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Anti-Defamation League ADL Part 2 [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- JAKE TAPPER on Washington's "Middle East Week." [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Elie Wiesel honored with first US Holocaust award [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Anti-Defamation League ADL Part 1 [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Marking Jewish American Heritage Month [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Arab Spring not good for Israel [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Eye for Eye? Gazans 'blackmailed' to spy for Israel [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Ann Coulter Insults Judaism [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- The Holocaust that changed the world [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Christian Anti-Defamation League: "Bashing" [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Cool Facts about Israel [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Gaza: The Killing Zone - Israel/Palestine [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Hatikva-The National Anthem of Israel [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Harel Skaat - Milim (Israel) [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Canadian PM: I Will Defend Israel 'whatever the cost' [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
Comments