Jewish American Heritage Month | Biography
On 20 April 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Since then, annual proclamations have been issued by Presidents Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joseph R. Biden Jr. Most recently, on 29 April 2022, The White House issued a press release in which Biden proclaimed May 2022 as Jewish American Heritage Month.
Jewish American Heritage Month is observed annually in the month of May to recognize and honor Jewish contributions and achievements in the United States of America.
What is Jewish American Heritage Month?
Jewish American Heritage Month is a national month of celebration and recognition of the Jewish Americans’ achievements and their contributions to American history, culture, science, and society. Some of the most prominent Jewish American figures include Albert Einstein and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
History of Jewish American Heritage Month
Jewish American Heritage Month was celebrated for the first time in May 2006, but the efforts to create a Jewish American Heritage Month started in 1980 when a bill was introduced and passed in the U.S. Congress in honor of Jewish American Heritage. The bill would allow President Carter to designate a special week in either April or May to celebrate Jewish culture and heritage.
Later, the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders jointly made efforts, urging the President to proclaim the observance of American Jewish History Month for the recognition of the American Jews’ heritage and their contributions to the United States.
On 14 December 2005, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the U.S. representative from Florida’s 23rd congressional district, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 315 in the United States House of Representatives. The House of Representatives unanimously passed the resolution on 15 December 2005. Later, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania also passed the resolution in the United States Senate on 14 February 2006 without amendment by unanimous consent. The same day Congress issued an enrolled bill, which read,
“Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress urges the President to issue each year a proclamation calling on State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe an American Jewish History Month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”
On 20 April 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Since then, annual proclamations have been issued by Presidents Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joseph R. Biden Jr. Most recently, on 29 April 2022, The White House issued a press release in which Biden proclaimed May 2022 as Jewish American Heritage Month.
May was chosen for the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month because of the triumphant celebration of American Jewish History's 350th Anniversary in May 2004.
In March 2007, a group of cultural and historical organizations such as the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, United Jewish Communities (now known as The Jewish Federations of North America), and the American Jewish Historical Society formed the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition. The coalition led the implementation of the annual celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.
Later in 2018, the National Museum of American Jewish History (now The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History) took the leadership of the nationwide Jewish American Heritage Month celebration. NMAJH organizes a series of events throughout the month of May to celebrate the national month.
Jewish American Heritage Month Theme
The National Museum of American Jewish History picks a particular theme to be highlighted to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. The museum has selected “Our Shared Heritage” as the 2022 theme.
The 2021 theme was taken from the ancient sage Rabbi Hillel’s famous quote, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Moreover, the 2020 theme was “Crisis and Resilience.”
