Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on May 4, 2014

Every year, the president proclaims May Jewish American Heritage Month. The Jewish Women's Archive invites you to join us in honoring the legacy of American Jewish women.

In 2006, President George W. Bush officially established May as Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) after a campaign led by Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and with the co-sponsorship of the late Senator Arlen Specter. Learn more about the creation of JAHM in This Week in History.

In the spring of 2010, when ESL teacher Deborah Ross attended the first ever White House reception for Jewish American Heritage Month, she found herself in the company of many Jewish Americans, all of whom had been invited to attend because of their contributions to American life. She wondered how they would answer the question: How has being Jewish affected your life and career? Is that why you are here?

She undertook to explore these questions in a series of hour-long interviews with Jewish women living in the Washington, D.C. area. Each of them had been an active member of the community a physician in a neighborhood clinic, a pioneer broadcaster, a food writer, a womans rights lawyer, a filmmaker, a rabbi, an artist, an advocate for womens health. JWA has created an online exhibit based on her interviews to commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month.

Follow "This Day of Jewish American Heritage" to connect every day in May to stories of American Jewish women.

We have created a special badge that can be used to display each day's item on your webpage. You can cut and paste the necessary code from the JAHM Badge Page.

JWAs entertaining documentary, Making Trouble, introduces six of the greatest comedians of the last century Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner, and Wendy Wassersteinall Jewish women. Hosted by four of todays leading comicsJudy Gold, Jackie Hoffman, Cory Kahaney, and Jessica Kirson it's the true saga of what it means to be Jewish, female, and funny.

Host a screening at your school, synagogue, or community center. Buy a copy of the DVD to enjoy at home. Visit the website for details.

Hang a poster of one or more of the 18 trailblazing Jewish women featured in JWAs poster series in your home, office, classroom, library, synagogue or any place else. Order one for $5 or the whole set for $25, including shipping and handling.

Use these online resources in a variety of settings, including adult education classes, Sisterhood and family education programs, youth groups, classrooms, summer camps, and as material for sermons.

Originally posted here:
Jewish American Heritage Month | Jewish Women's Archive

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